Only New Beginnings
by Aurora Mikayla
Summary: The end of the world has come and gone, and now the Titans are suffering from new trials and tribulations. What happens when Raven forgets who she is? Chapter 9 added. Please Review! R
1. Began with a laugh

I am simply revising all the Author's Notes, typos and some minor things contained in the story. Nothing major was changed. Chapter 8 was added on January 26th, 2007.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or places contained in the story.

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_**Began with a Laugh...**

* * *

_The sun was barely above the horizon, shooting pale fingers of light across the sky in shades of pink, purple and red. The bay seemed unnaturally calm and there was a faint warm breeze blowing. It was a perfect morning. 

Raven breathed in deeply of the morning air and closed her eyes, lifting her face to bask in the morning breeze and faint rays of sunshine seeming to reach out to her from the horizon. Her eyes closed and her breathing became slow and deep, her mind relaxed and her emotions calm. The world around her melted away as she found her soul's centre, the place of utter calm she had discovered since Trigon's defeat.

Nothing seemed to stir as she sat on the edge of the tower, her feet dangling over the edge and her cloak thrown back over her shoulders. She and the World were one. Nothing could disturb them. She was free. Free from the shackles of rage, free from her heritage. Her "creator" was destroyed, banished by the powers of hope and love. Love for her friends, for her adopted family and home. She didn't know where the power came from, but she could feel it resting inside of her, waiting to be called on once again when needed. It was like a warm pool of liquid silver just out of her reach, beckoning her to dive in, to tap it and glory in the power that was her own. She was a little frightened of the power; it was stronger than anything she had ever dealt with before and while it was not evil, it was frightening in its intensity and she shied away before she could touch it.

* * *

Robin stood by the doorway leading down into the Tower, not wanting to disturb Raven's enjoyment of the morning. It was rare to see her so relaxed, even with the destruction of her father. It had been eight months since the destruction of Trigon and Raven was slowly allowing her emotions some freedom. The control was still prevalent in everything she did, but it was lessening. When Trigon had first been destroyed Raven had shown signs that she didn't quite believe it. It had taken weeks for her to believe that she could now show emotion, even the greater emotions including anger and happiness. Slowly but surely she was realizing just what she was now capable of showing. She smiled, albeit only small smiles, but she did smile. She was spending more time with Starfire at the "mall of shopping" and the "painting of the toes". She and Cyborg had outfitted the T-car with the latest technology, yet again. Even Beastboy had convinced her to play a game with him on the game-station. Only once, but she had done it. In fact, it seemed the only person she wasn't spending more time with was Robin himself. 

He pondered that for the 100th time while he memorized the sunlight hi-lighting her face, making her skin seem like fine porcelain and her hair like shining silk. He memorized the slight tilt of her lips, the look of utter peace and contentment on her face. She was finally happy and she was breathtaking.

He had become aware of her one day, about four months ago, on a level he had not allowed himself to notice before. Always before he had passed his attraction to her off as appreciation of a friend, for a teammate. After all, he wasn't blind and she was very beautiful, but he had simply played it off as what any male would notice. But then she had laughed. A genuine laugh that lit her face like the morning sun and he had found himself staring at her, transfixed by the smooth sound escaping her smiling lips. Her eyes had been lit with amusement and her lips curved upward, captivating his attention with their allure and he found himself wondering why he had never noticed them, noticed _her_ before. Until a little voice in his mind reminded him that he had noticed, and simply chosen to ignore it.

He had noticed how her eyes lit up when she was amused, even if her lips didn't show it; how the left side of her lips would smirk up when she called him the "Boy Blunder"; how her hair fell like a soft curtain of silk, obscuring his view of her perfect profile. He often felt the urge to push her hair back, to keep it from disturbing his memorization of her features. He noticed the way her cloak fell around her, emphasizing her hourglass figure. The figure that he had held on her birthday, the day Slade came for her. The feel of her against him was imprinted on his memory and Robin would often find himself thinking about that day, how it felt to be able to hold her, even for such a short time and for such a reason. He had pushed it off like he had his attraction to her.

But then she laughed and his entire world had come to a screeching halt as he drowned in the sound of it. He remembered the urge to go to her, to catch her in the circle of his arms and never let go. He had taken a step forward before the hand on his arm, belonging to Starfire, had stopped him. He had tried to shake her off, his desire to go to Raven overriding his brain, but Starfire's grasp would not easily be let go. He had turned to her, about to demand that she let him go, but with Raven out of his line of sight, like a wave crashing over his head, he recalled where he was, and what he was doing. He had muttered a quick apology to Starfire and retreated to his room, Raven's laughter echoing in his ears. Since that day he had found himself drawn to her. Regardless of what she was doing, he wanted to be there. To be able to experience each new emotion with her as she discovered what it was like to be able to feel; what it was to be _free_.

Now he stood on the roof, categorizing each of her facial features, memorizing the soft wind blowing through her hair, the dark crescent's cast on her cheeks from her thick, black lashes, the lush bottom lip that he discovered he'd very much like to taste and as soon as possible. Robin admitted, to himself and only in the privacy of his room late at night, that he may very well be in love with the dark goddess. Why else would he go to the bowels of hell to bring her back? Yes she was his friend, his teammate, but a world without her in it had seemed bleak and desolate. A world without her would have been incomplete, _HE_ would have been incomplete without her there. He respected her intelligence, her common sense and level thinking, but he would have missed her sass, her sarcasm and calming presence. She was his rock, his hope, his beacon in the fog…..

He was knocked out of his mental musings by Raven turning and staring him in the eye. Like she had always known he was there and was waiting to see what his next action would be.

'_She probably did know I was here. She's not the easiest person to sneak up on…'_ Robin's internal voice was laughing at him, at his inability to do something about this growing attraction. Although attraction seemed too shallow a word for what he felt for her. She was quickly becoming his obsession. He just hoped it would have a more positive outcome then his previous obsessions.

He pushed himself off the wall and walked towards her, noting the peace had not left her features; she looked like an angel, exuding calm and tranquility. His worries seemed to drift away as he walked towards her, this dark goddess who radiated light. His muscles relaxed and his breathing slowed as the feelings surrounding her flooded into him through their bond. He found himself smiling and she tilted her head slightly in question, her lips smiling slightly in response. He didn't say anything. He simply walked up to her, and after pulling her to her feet, enfolded her in his embrace. Robin buried his face in her hair, inhaling her fragrance, cataloguing it away with all his other observations. He noticed that she didn't stiffen, didn't try to pull away, in fact Raven had put her arms around his waist and leaned against his chest, her head tucked into his shoulder.

They stayed like that for awhile. Neither saying anything, just enjoying the feel of being against each other, with someone they trusted implicitly, with nothing big waiting in the background to destroy their moment. They relaxed against one another, the wind blowing softly against them, tossing their cloaks around them, tangling around their legs. They didn't notice. The only thing they concentrated on was each other and the feeling of being complete. Perhaps for the first time.

"Robin?" Raven's query was quiet, so as not to disturb the tranquility around them.

"Hmmmm?" Robin murmured against her neck, unwilling to move from his position, the most relaxed and safe he had felt since his parents' death.

"Are you alright?"

"Never better" his warm breath on her neck made her shiver slightly as goosebumps traveled down her back. She snuggled her head into his shoulder a little farther and he tightened his grasp on her.

They didn't say anything else, choosing to stay in their safe haven until the world forced them back to reality. They had no need for words, everything that needed to be said was done through the easy way they stood together, no tension between them, no awkwardness. Her arms wrapped around his waist, gently massaging his back spoke of her concern and caring for him. His strong grasp around her shoulders and back spoke of his protection of her, his devotion to keeping her safe. The minimal space between their bodies spoke of trust and love. This is where they wanted to be; safe and loved and free of the cares of the world, if only for a little while.

The sound of the morning fight over tofu or meat from the kitchen stirred Raven from her reverie.

"We should go in. They'll come looking for us soon." She was disappointed by the idea of leaving and let her voice show it.

"Just another minute. Give us this minute and then we can go in and take up our responsibilities again. It's moments like this that make the fighting bearable." He whispered his response into her hair, unwilling and unable to let go of this moment, or her, yet. This perfect moment that would stay with him always. The smell of her hair, the feel of her body against his, her trust in him to keep her safe. This was why he fought, _She_ was why he fought. His inspiration.

He felt her pulling back and was disappointed, but at the same time understood why she must. She who was unused to such physical contact, such displays of emotion, and had allowed him a lifetime in that moment. He looked down at her as she leaned back to look up at him. The slow smile on her face and the look in her eyes would stay with him forever. She had never looked more beautiful to him as she did in that moment.

She reached up to brush his hair out of his eyes, her touch soft and gentle.

"Maybe…" She trailed off, as if slightly uncertain about what she was going to say. He gazed at her in silence, his embrace not lessening as she shifted her stance, leaning slightly back. "Maybe we could do something, later…..together?" Her soft voice was full of emotions he couldn't name, and didn't bother to analyze.

His smile was small but sincere, the usual cockiness missing. He squeezed her one more time before allowing his hands to slide to her face, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"I'd like that." They gazed at each other, feeling everything that needed to be said through their bond, through their understanding of each other that went far deeper than mere friendship.

"C'mon. It's time for reality to kick in. I'll make you some eggs." Robin looped his arm around her shoulders, gently bringing her with him as he made his way to the door.

"Eggs. How very…..appetizing. How about French crêpes with strawberries and cream?" Raven looked up at him, a small smirk across her lips as she invited the subtle flirting they had perfected over the nearly five years they had worked together.

"Crêpes? You want crêpes? How about eggs benedict with hollandaise sauce?" Robin slid his arm from her shoulders as he held open the door for her, his own smirk a return to his usual cockiness.

"Well I wouldn't want to tax your limited cooking skills Boy Blunder. Maybe we should stick with eggs, or someone could get hurt." She replied over her should as she moved down the stairs into the tower.

"Limited? I have limited cooking skills? Did you try your pancakes? And you have the nerve to criticize my cooking skills. Listen here Raven, I'll have you know that I was trained by the very…" His rant cut off as he heard her laugh once again. A soft, genuine laugh that seemed to wrap around him and comfort him with its warmth. His heart swelled upon hearing it and just about burst with the fact that he had been the one to make her feel happy enough to make that sound.

They had reached the bottom of the steps, and before moving into the living room and joining the others, stopped to look at each other again. She was still laughing slightly and his breath caught in his chest at how beautiful she looked. He would do anything to keep her laughing like that. Anything to see her so happy. He smiled back at her and bowed with state grace.

"As my lady wishes. Crêpes with strawberries and cream it shall be." Her smile grew and she reached up and stroked his cheek, setting his skin to tingling everywhere she touched.

"Thank you…..Richard." Turning she walked into the living room, leaving a stunned and happy Boy Wonder in her wake, the sound of his real name echoing in his ears.

'_Richard. It's been a very long time since I've been Richard. I think I might enjoy it.'_ Smiling softly he walked after her, content for the first time in a very long time.

* * *


	2. Began with a trip to Hell

**_Began with a Trip to Hell..._**

* * *

Raven sat at the counter, quietly sipping her tea, watching the chaos in the kitchen as Beast Boy, Cyborg and Robin all maneuvered around the area trying to cook breakfast.

"Tofu is not tasteless! It's nutritious and adaptable and can be served with anything! Meat on the other hand, used to be an animal! It was alive! Dude, that's just wrong! I've been those animals!" Beast Boy's arguments rebounded off the walls, echoing as he and Cyborg both attempted to drown out each other's arguments while trying to cook their respective dishes.

"Meat is good for you! It has protein and…and….doesn't taste like Plasmus, like that tofu junk! Tofu has the consistency of Jello! What can you make with Jello? My food isn't supposed to wiggle at me when I'm trying to eat it! It should be thick, juicy and dead!" Cyborg tried to emphasize his point by putting a slab of ham on, to grill over a red-hot element.

"Where's the crêpes' griddle?" Robin's question seemed to cut across the argument like a hot knife across butter. All action stopped as Cyborg and Beast Boy, both opening their mouths to continue their argument, turned to look at Robin like he had asked them what the speed of sound was.

"Crêpes'…" Cyborg started but couldn't seem to get past the idea of them… as Beast Boy finished with a disbelieving tone to his voice.

"Griddle?"

"Please, who is this crêpes you speak of, and what is a griddle?" Starfire's voice snapped the boys out of their stupor as they watched wide-eyed as Robin rummaged through the cupboards, looking for the appliance in question.

"Dude, we have a crêpes' griddle? And you never told us?" Beast Boy's outraged look was comical in its lack of understanding and Raven lifted her mug to hide her grin as she decided to stay out of the conversation and see how Robin would handle it.

"Grass stain you don't even know what crêpes are, admit it." Cyborg's authoritative tone brought a glare from his target, which Cyborg largely ignored while concentrating on the bird making a mess of the kitchen searching for the elusive griddle. "Why are you making crêpes, is the better question. What's the occasion? Who are you trying to impress? You've never made something so fancy before. Why the sudden urge for crêpes of all things? Do you even know how to make them?"

Robin kept his back to the boys as he continued his search.

"What? I can't make something new for once without getting harassed about it?"

Raven could feel his embarrassment as he tried to ignore the real gist of Cyborg's question. She raised an eyebrow at his lame comeback and smirked to herself at his attempt to brush off the question like it was nothing.

"Well sure you can make something new, but crêpes? Why crêpes? And what brought about this need to cook something new?" Cyborg paused here, before, pretending to look concerned, he patted Robin on the back. "Are you having an identity crisis? Being the Boy Wonder isn't enough for you? Now you have to be a gourmet chef as well? You know, there are people that can help with that, they're called psychiatrists." At Beast Boy's snicker, Robin stood up fully, crepes griddle now in hand, as he glared at the two boys hogging the stove.

"I can cook whatever I like thank you. I have no need to explain to you why I am doing what it is I am doing." Robin set the griddle done with an audible _thunk_ and turned to grab the necessary ingredients from the fridge and disarrayed cupboards.

"Please what are the crêpes of which you speak? What is wrong with Friend Robin making them?" Starfire's question a second time seemed to remind the boys that other people were present in the room.

"Crêpes are a very thin pancake like food from France Starfire. And there is nothing wrong with Robin making them; in fact I look forward to something other than meat or tofu this morning. Something with strawberries I think." Raven's answer was simple and to the point, for the alien girl, but she noted the pink tinting Robin's ears as he continued on as if he had not heard her, mixing the batter for the crepes with careful precision. Her feeling of him was now tinged with affection and gratitude; as if she had made it okay for him to make them by declaring that she liked the idea to the boys harassing him.

"You usually serve them with fruit, or sometimes maple syrup, or anything else that may interest you." At Starfire's brightening expression, Raven internally groaned, but didn't let it show on her face. "And yes, you can have them with mustard."

"Most glorious! This is indeed a wonderful idea that Friend Robin has. Crepes sound most delicious." Starfire's happy smile, at the idea of a new food to have with her favourite condiment, was almost blinding in its intensity. The boys stared at her for a moment before starting a new argument about what should be served with the crepes: bacon or tofu bacon.

Raven wondered why there was such a fuss going on about Robin making something new.

_'Boys._' Raven tuned out the arguments and jokes of her teammates, with ease after five years of practice, and contemplated what had passed between herself and a certain Boy Wonder earlier that morning on the roof.

She could recall a moment, about four months ago, when Robin had changed, rather abruptly towards her. It wasn't anything outwardly obvious that someone else would notice, but the change in his feelings when he was around her was notable to the talented empath. They vibrated through their bond at times, so strongly that she often wondered what it was he was thinking to make his feelings intensify as they did. She had been laughing at a joke Cyborg had made, her first genuine laugh, in which nothing blew up. It was the first time she had laughed like that with the Titans since Trigon's destruction. It had been heartwarming to know that nothing bad had occurred because she had been happy. That had been the day she fully realized she was free to feel. Her powers hadn't gotten out of hand at all while she spent time with Cyborg that day, they had laughed and joked and nothing untoward happened. It had been liberating.

They had worked on the T-Car that afternoon, upgrading the circuits and technology with Cyborg's newest design, allowing the T-Car to soar for short periods of time if needed. They had been working out how to try it out without taking off from a building or a ramp when he had said that Starfire could just toss it into the air and they could test it that way…

_Flashback _

She stared at him like he had lost his mind for a moment, the tool in her hand forgotten as she wondered if he was delirious from the jet fuel they were adding to the car to give it some extra boost when she noticed the small smirk on his lips, coupled with the glint in his human eye that told her he was joking. She laughed softly and shook her head, turning to put the wrench back in the tool box which was resting behind her.

He watched her for a moment, noticing the easy way she smiled when they were alone; the happiness in her voice now that she rarely used her monotone when they worked together. It was obvious she was comfortable with him and was able to relax in his presence. It made him feel special, like the cherished older brother that he tried to be for her.

As she turned back to him, a screwdriver in hand, he smiled at her, causing her stop her movement, simply raise an eyebrow in question at him.

"It's nice to finally see you out of your shell. You're relaxed and, dare I say it, happy working on my baby with me and yet your powers are completely under control. How does it feel?"

That was when she realized that he was right. Over the months since Trigon's destruction she had cautiously let herself feel things, small amounts of emotion, usually in the safety of her room, away from the prying eyes of her friends, but she realized that she wasn't even concentrating on her emotions at the moment and yet everything was fine. It was if the proverbial light bulb had just gone off above her head when she looked around and nothing was destroyed, nothing was floating and no black tendrils were trying to escape from under her cloak. She really was feeling content, and almost happy and nothing bad was happening. She slowly smiled, allowing herself to feel the simple joy that it evoked to be able to laugh with her big brother and have nothing bad happen.

He watched her as the smile spread across her face and knew that she was finally out from under the rule of Trigon. He took two giants steps towards her and hugged her tightly to his chest, resting his head on top of hers. He smiled as she wrapped her arms around him in return. His little sister was safe and free and he couldn't be any happier for her.

Raven for her part felt like she was floating, the weight of controlling her emotions constantly, lifted from her shoulders. She felt almost light-headed at the sensation of happy almost bursting out of her and the feeling of a new balance in her mind. She noted its presence and promised to come talk to her emotions later that night. She reveled in the feeling of freedom as she hugged her surrogate big brother close, knowing that he was almost as happy as she was about it.

"So I guess I can take back all those extra light bulbs now that you won't blow them up when BB gets annoying huh?" Raven laughed softly and pulled back from the hug to gaze up at Cyborg.

"Thank you Cyborg. Thank you for…" She paused here, trying to find the right word for what she was thanking him for. "For everything." Cyborg smiled at her in return, knowing what it was she was thanking him for, and needing her to say nothing else. He squeezed her gently before letting her go and walking towards the car.

"No problem Dark Girl, that's what I'm here for. But right now I think the T-Car can wait. Let's go celebrate. I'll make my famous 3-alarm chili and we can sit and watch TV while I explain the jokes to you because I'm sure your sense of humor has died it's been so long since it was last let out." He winked at her to show that he was only jesting and she punched him in the arm, realizing too late that it wasn't a smart thing to do when he was half metal.

"Ow. That hurt." Raven pretended to sulk as they walked towards the door of the kitchen, allowing a bit of her playful personality out for a test-drive.

"Serves you right. Trying to beat me up for telling you the truth, what do you expect? I mean it's not my fault you have no sense of humor. Why else don't you laugh at BB's jokes? I mean, he's hilarious!" Cyborg emphasized his words with a roll of his eyes and a large smirk. By this time they had passed into the main room and were heading over to the fridge to start dinner.

Raven laughed. A full-fledged, genuinely happy-to-be-alive laugh, which attracted the attention of her teammates. She ignored their shocked looks and swatted Cyborg playfully on the arm again as she set out bowls and put her kettle on the stove to boil for her evening tea.

She paused in her actions as she felt shock and bewilderment, followed by a large dose of ….. affection, yes affection was the closest description she could think of to describe the emotion, from the silent team leader standing with Starfire and Beast Boy as they all stared at her in awed silence.

Raven finished putting the kettle on the stove and looked up to meet the stare of the Boy Wonder as he watched her from across the room. She could feel the intensity of his gaze even through his mask and wondered what was going on in his mind.

He appeared to start towards her, his intentions a mystery when Starfire tugged on the arm she was gripping, calling his name. He turned to look at her and seemed to snap out of some sort of stupor. He mumbled something and walked swiftly towards the doors, not speaking to anyone as he left. They all watched him walk out of the room, nobody saying anything.

Raven felt bewilderment and uncertainty coming from Robin through their link and decided that it was probably best that she leave him alone for the time being. She returned to helping Cyborg make dinner.

_End Flashback_

Raven was startled out of her thoughts by a crash as Beast Boy slipped on something and fell into Cyborg, causing him to hit the counter. Starfire fluttered over to help, asking if they were alright, if they were in the need of "supplies of medical" as Robin continued making crêpes, studiously ignoring the pair trying to pick themselves up behind him, knowing that they were more embarrassed then actually injured.

Raven shook her head slightly and taking a sip of her tea, wandered into the realm of her mind again.

This morning she had been enjoying the sunrise, allowing her mind to find its centre, her emotions to find their balance, when she had sensed her leader behind her. She had felt him the moment he walked through the door, the depth of feeling he was transmitting allowing for nothing else.

What he had been feeling was still overwhelming in its intensity, but she had been able it identify it. Robin loved her. The Boy Wonder, former side-kick to Batman had somehow fallen in love with her. She wasn't really sure when she had admitted what it was she had been feeling from him, but over the past few months it had grown in intensity. He was always around her, even if they didn't talk. He had taken to researching in the main room when she was there meditating. He was up when she was, making coffee while she made her morning tea, engaging in easy conversation. He trained when she was training, regardless of whether or not he had already trained that the day.

While it should have been creepy, as it sometimes felt like he was stalking her, she realized that it was instead comforting. She liked the feeling she sensed from him; his obvious devotion to her, to making sure she was safe and content. She didn't mind when he watched her when she meditated, while he thought she was unaware. She seemed to always know when he was watching her and instead of wanting to tell him to stop, she found that it helped to calm her down, knowing that whatever happened, he would be there. After coming back from Hell because of him, she had no doubt as to that. He was going to be there to the end of the world, literally and figuratively and she found that thought comforting.

Raven had realized the day of the "end of the world" that she had much deeper feelings for her leader than she had for the others on the team. She trusted him and depended on him for so many things. She had developed a bond much deeper with him than the mind-meld should have brought about. It was a bond of love.

The first time she had admitted that was shortly after the world was restored and ended up causing the rock she was sitting on at the end of the island to explode. She had gone out there to meditate, to get away from the rather loud discussions going on in the Tower about the newest video game.

It had scared her and the knowledge of a new emotion threw the others into disarray. But eventually they had settled and the uneasiness faded as her emotions welcomed the new comer and Raven once again marveled at the complexity of them. It was like children welcoming a new child to their special circle and Raven found herself laughing at the analogy that fitted Happiness so well.

Raven found that she was aware of him on a deeper level after that, always seeming to know exactly where he was without looking, or knowing how he was feeling without having to concentrate on him. Robin seemed to have taken up a permanent residence in her brain and her emotions seemed to enjoy concentrating on him a great deal.

She did not allow herself to do anything about the new emotion, still slightly frightened by its intensity and what it would mean for the others.

Until this morning. This morning she had felt the desire to simply hang on and not let go to the wonder of being in love with Robin. She had settled the emotions within herself, her balance restored as she found that they could all live harmoniously and be expressed without something disastrous happening.

She had been thinking of something to do about her new balance when he had come up. She had waited for him to say or do something, but he seemed to be content just watching her, her empathy picking up his love and contentment just being around her.

Unable to stay still any longer, she turned to him and found that the tranquility of her emotions stayed with her even when she was not concentrating on them. It was a new level to her control, a surrendering to them that she could not allow herself previously, but when nothing happened, she relaxed even more, happy to be in his presence and not have to worry about dire consequences.

When he hugged her, she had let herself hug him back; basking in the glow of his love surrounding her, protecting her, making her feel valued, and wanted. She would have given much to stay there with him in that perfect moment, but knowing what their teammates were like, had suggested that in the future the two of them could perhaps make more perfect moments. Happy had bounced around in her mind as he agreed, Courage had given a cheer that she had finally made a move and Love simply glowing an incandescent white; so much so that Raven had wondered if she herself was glowing.

Raven felt that they had taken the next step with their easy flirting and camaraderie on the way to the kitchen. A small step, nothing had been spoken yet, nothing concrete, yet she knew they were different now. And she liked the difference; looked forward to discovering what it entailed.

Feeling the weight of his stare on her, she looked up from her tea cup and met his gaze, her eyebrow quirked in a silent question.

"Your crêpes my lady, with strawberries and cream as ordered." He said this quietly, to avoid the others, involved in a loud conversation about his cooking, from overhearing it.

She looked back down at the counter and found perfect crêpes covered with strawberries and fresh cream as she had jokingly asked for, awaiting for her approval.

Raven felt love to start to glow again as she looked up at him and smiled, just for him. A smile showing how she felt in that moment, a smile to show him all that she could not say.

"Thank you Richard." She replied just as softly, gazing into his eyes through the mask, as she sensed his emotions spike at her use of his real name. "They look wonderful."

Robin smiled back at her, feeling his heart swell as he gazed into her eyes, feeling himself drowning in their depths.

"For you, anything."

* * *


	3. Going out with a Bang

**_Going out with a Bang..._**

* * *

Cyborg and Beast Boy cleaned the kitchen, with remarkably few complaints due to Robin's excellent cooking. Cyborg knew something had happened between the resident birds, and that they needed to talk it out. He was a very keen observer and had seen the look that passed between them when Robin had given Raven her crepes, just as he knew that Robin had to have had a reason to make them in the first place. The Boy Wonder wasn't known for making breakfast for all of them spontaneously. Yes, something was up in the Tower, and Cyborg knew that it had something to do with the unspoken feelings between the birds. He only hoped that it would work out for them. But he also knew that if Robin hurt his little sister, he would regret it. A smirk played on his lips at the thought of what he would do to the Boy Wonder if he happened to screw up.

Robin waited until Cyborg and Beast Boy were occupied with the dishes before approaching Raven again. He suspected that Cyborg knew something was up, even if nobody else did. He had caught the cybernetic man giving him funny looks all through breakfast and had steadfastly refused to acknowledge them, knowing he had to speak to Raven before anyone else could know what he was feeling. He wanted to find out what they were before saying something that may come back to haunt him.

Raven was sitting on the couch, her ever present book in her hands while Starfire prattled on beside her about the shirt she had seen at the "mall of shopping" that would look "glorious" on the purple-haired woman who was responding with appropriate comments and even a question or two when it was needed.

Robin was amazed yet again at the changes Raven had undergone. While once before she would have tried to make Starfire stop talking, now she endured the questioning with tolerance and even friendliness towards the alien girl. They had developed a close relationship that seemed to have started with the Puppet King switch. Robin often wondered what it would be like to have Raven's powers and thought about asking Starfire about it, but never seemed to get around to it.

Raven turned her head slightly, catching his gaze with her own, one eyebrow raised in question at why he was standing there staring at them. He stopped himself from blushing and merely smiled at her before approaching the pair.

"Hey Star, mind if I borrow Raven? We're supposed to do some training this morning." Robin smiled at Tameranian Princess charmingly, hoping she wouldn't ask any questions about why he was training with Raven.

"Of course Friend Robin. I must go make the plans for our going to the mall of shopping tomorrow. Friend Raven has greed to accompany me. Is it not most glorious?" Starfire beamed at Robin, her joy in Raven's agreement obvious in the brightness of her smile. Robin smiled back at her, nodding his agreement, before she floated out of the room, presumably to go to hers.

Raven cocked her head to one side and looked at Robin with a raised eyebrow.

"I wasn't aware that we were supposed to be training today Robin. When did we decide this?" She smirked at him, noting the slight flush in his cheeks.

"This morning, on the roof. Don't you remember?" Robin smirked back at her, noting the glint in her eye as she tested the limits on ….. whatever it was that was between them.

"Did we? I recall something about doing something together, but I don't seem to recall agreeing to being beaten up…" Raven smiled a little at the memory of what had passed between them that morning.

Robin noticed the smile and leaned over the back of the couch towards her.

"I think that depends on the type of training we would be doing. Relationships take training as well you know." Robin watched the smile grow on her face and felt an answering one light his own features. _She's so beautiful when she smiles._

"Well, I guess we need at the training we can get with that issue. After all, you're not the Boy Blunder for nothing…" She smiled sweetly at him and jumped out of her seat when he grabbed for her.

"I need practice? With this type of abuse, it's a surprise I still want to try!" Robin crossed his arms and actually pouted at her, knowing she couldn't see the twinkle in his eye as he teased her back. He hadn't felt this playful in a very long time, if ever. Robin felt happiness well up inside himself as he noticed her smile widening. _This is going in the good memories file…_

"Well if you're worried about abuse, I could always "train" with someone else…" Raven trailed off, feeling the jealously rising in Boy Wonder as he frowned at her.

"That won't be necessary. I'm sure we can work it out." Robin tried to smile but failed as the green monster reared his head at the idea of Raven with someone else.

"Well then, I think maybe we should go get started on training now…I know how long it takes you to get things…" Raven walked towards the doors, knowing he would follow her.

"Yes well, they say practice…" Robin was cute off by the shrill blare of the alarm. He spun towards the computer, assessing what was happening even as he shut down his emotions, knowing they had no place in the fight ahead.

Raven let her unfeeling mask fall back over her face as she lifted her hood to cover her head. It was time to do what they do best.

"Titans, trouble!"

_

* * *

They often wondered what the Jump City PD would do without them to answer these things. But, being the super heroes they are, they went regardless. Saving the city was their job and calling and they did it well. Even if it was run-of-the-mill burglars._

Arriving on the scene, they were quickly apprised of what was going on in the bank. The burglars turned out to be a little more sophisticated then they had originally thought and had planted bombs in the building, threatening to blow them if anyone should try to enter. They had sent out a list of demands, via cell phone to the lead officer. They had threatened to kill one hostage for every hour that their demands were not met. One hostage had already been shot when they had set off the alarm, and was assumed to be in critical condition. Nobody had attempted to enter the building and everyone was awaiting commands on what to do. The first hour was almost up.

Robin assessed the situation, trying to decide the best way to get the people out while making sure they apprehended the thieves. He was searching for a way in, some way that would allow them to take them by surprise and take them out before they knew the Titans were even there. They had to get those people out of there before they could really deal with the bad guys or else take them out right at the start.

The crooks were staying well away from windows and doors, making it obvious that they were smart enough to avoid being shot by the police. Robin needed an in, and he needed it now.

"Titans, we need an idea. Any idea. We can't risk going in through the windows or doors, they'll be watching them. We need some way to get inside without their knowledge. Ideas?" Robin frowned, obviously worried about the situation and possible outcomes.

"We could teleport in. I could make a gate for us to go in, but it's risky if they see us before we can attack. They could set off the bombs before we can react." Raven suggested in her usual monotone, knowing that time was of the essence and that they were very short on options.

The other's looked at her with interest, going over possible flaws in their heads and other possible ideas. There were no other ideas, and sometimes risks had to be taken.

"Are you sure you can get us in there? Do you know where we'll end up?" Robin questioned, his eyebrows furrowed as he thought of possible glitches in the plan.

"I can get us in there no problem, but I've only been in this bank a couple of times, we'll end up in the main room because that's where I know the area. I'll put us behind the teller's counter, hopefully it will cover our entrance. We'll have to act quickly and be prepared to react to anything they may throw at us. We have to be prepared for the bombs going off." Raven stated it factually and coolly, like someone reporting on the weather. Only the slight twitching of her cloak gave hint to her unease about the situation.

"We'll have to do it. We have no other options and those people are running out of time. Everyone ready? You know what to do? Be ready to act, take out the crooks as fast as possible, try not to harm civilians and try to stop them from setting off the bombs. Okay? Any questions?" The other's shook their heads, the expressions on their faces portraying their seriousness in the situation. "Raven, take us in."

They were engulfed in a swirl of black and disappeared.

_

* * *

_

It had gone wrong from the moment the portal opened. The thieves had apparently been watching and suspected when they disappeared that they were going to try something like this. They had been waiting, guns at the ready, finger on the detonator when Raven teleported them behind the teller's counter. The majority of the gang was watching the windows and doors or the hostages. All except he leader who was looking around the bank like a hawk, noticing everything, including the swirl of black from the shadows, knowing that it was the Titans. He quickly called out to the others, notifying them of the fact that they were going to have visitors. He fingered the detonator to the bomb, trying to figure out the best way to get out of the bank with the money before setting it off, and after completing the rest of his mission.

In the time it took him to announce their arrival to the others, the Titans had jumped through the portal, assessing the situation as only ones who live with danger every day can do.

A flare of bullets greeted their entrance, and the Titans dove for safety behind the counter, bullets whizzing above their heads. Robin pointed to each member of the team, and then the crook they were to engage.

"Titans Go!"

Cyborg vaulted over the counter, quickly engaging one of the gang members with a right hook to the face, knocking him out.

Beast Boy morphed into an ape and attacked one of the guys standing near the vault, obviously guarding the person within who was filling up bags with money.

Starfire sent a barrage of starbolts at the third member standing by the windows, not aiming for him, so much as trying to frighten him. Who knew what a starbolt would do to a regular human?

Robin leapt straight for the fourth individual, who had his gun trained on tellers who were finishing emptying out the registers. A quick kick took out his gun, a second took out his lights.

Raven rushed over to teller lying behind the desk, a pool of blood surrounding her as someone tried to apply pressure to the bullet wound in her shoulder. Raven's hands glowed blue as she let her healing magic flow into the girl before her, tears streaming down the young lady's cheeks as she whispered that she didn't want to die.

The leader of the group had hidden himself at the first move of aggression on the side of the Titans and quickly realized that his group was outclassed by the group of superheroes. He looked around, seeing his 6th and last member being taken down by an angry gorilla as Cyborg and Starfire tied up the remaining members, the crowd starting to cheer at being saved.

He stepped out from behind the pillar, waiting to make sure he had everyone's attention, holding the detonator cradled in his hand, not visible by the Titans or civilians now getting up.

"Well, well Titans, so nice of you to drop by. Too bad you won't live to make an exit." That being said he held up the detonator and pushed the button. "Say your goodbyes."

The bombs blew with titanic force and everyone was thrown to the floor, debris beginning to rain down from the ceiling where the bombs had taken out the supports.

"The ceiling is collapsing, we have to get out of here!" Robin called, even as he knew there was no way everyone was going to get out of there alive.

Suddenly the only thing falling was dust, and everyone looked around amazed that they weren't crushed in seconds.

Black energy supported the building, kept the ceiling from caving it. Raven floated in the middle of the room, her hands thrown out, her eyes blazing as she used her power to keep the building up.

"Get everyone out. Now." The deadly serious tone in her voice brooked no argument, and the Titans moved to get the civilians outside while there was still time.

Robin moved towards the leader, moving faster than the leader could react. He leapt at him, knocking the remote from his hand with a kick, followed by a left uppercut to the chin. Robin hoped that would be the end of him, but he was apparently well trained in martial arts and knew how to take a punch. The leader stumbled back and shaking his head slightly, fought back. They traded blows while the other Titans assisted those in need of medical attention outside, as the ones capable of walking rushed out the door, Raven working to hold the roof up.

Raven strained with the pressure of holding up the building hoping that Starfire, Beast Boy and Cyborg could get the hostages out before it collapsed. Sweat was rolling down her face as she strained to keep the building stable. Her eyes glowed a fierce white and her cloak seemed to shimmer with white luminescence overlaying the customary blue. She ignored the battle between Robin and the thief below her, knowing that if her concentration lapsed for even a minute, then the building could collapse and those people would die.

She drew on more of her power, the white starting to take over the blue in her cloak, her hair growing as she released more of the magic laying dormant within her. She hadn't released this much power since defeating Malchior, only this was purer magic, not born of her anger, but of her devotion to helping people, to helping her friends, to keeping them safe. She pushed more magic into the web holding up the pieces, hoping it would be enough. She concentrated on the building, ignoring the grunts coming from the combatants below her, waiting for the all clear from Cyborg.

Robin battled the thief, his attacks ferocious as he tried to take him out, tried to end the battle as quickly as possible, knowing that Raven couldn't keep up the shield indefinitely. The thought of her brought on a rush of energy, and with lightening fast moves, he managed to knock the bandit across the room, his head hitting the wall as his body slumped down against some rubble.

"Clear!" Cyborg's call was welcome as Robin walked towards the body of the crook, not noticing the hand reaching for a gun hidden from Robin's view, presumably dropped by one of his cronies. The robber did not give any indication that he was actually conscious, waiting for the right time to attack.

"Alright Cyborg, get outside and I'll bring this goon. Raven only a few more minutes then you can let the shield down. Good work team." Robin kept an eye on his target even as he talked to the others. He noticed movement, and quickly braced himself for an attack. But it wasn't directed at him.

The leader lifted his hand and shot at the dark girl hovering in the air, her eyes white and hands glowing black with sparks of white streaking the energy.

"If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me." He collapsed back against the rock, a concussion settling in as his adrenaline waned from the pain in his body and the knowledge that he was defeated.

Robin spun around just in time to see the bullet enter Raven's stomach. He cried out incoherently as her eyes widened in shock and pain, the magic surrounding her hands flickering and dying out before she plummeted to the ground, the building collapsing around her.

* * *


	4. Hanging onto Hope

**_Hanging Onto Hope..._**

* * *

Robin watched in horror as the ceiling collapsed on the spot Raven had fallen. His chest tightened and hands started shaking as panic seized him. Panic that froze the blood in his veins, that stopped his heart in horror. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe, nothing made sense as her look of shock replayed in his mind. _She can't be dead. She...I..._ He found himself unable to form any futher coherent thoughts, his mind going blank as his body went numb.

A chunk of plaster hitting his shoulder snapped him out of his stupor as he stumbled back to lean against the wall, hoping it would shield him from some of the debris, hoping that Raven would be okay, knowing that if he went out there now, there would be a very good chance he would also die. _No, she's not dead. I can still feel her. She's alive. She's going to be fine. Raven is alive. _It became a mantra he repeated in his head as he waited, praying for a miracle. Praying for his Raven.

It was only the space of a few minutes but it seemed to take hours for the debris to stop falling, dust rising in the air, making it difficult to breathe or see anything. There were huge chunks of the roof gone, as well as some of the outer walls where the bombs had blown them out. Miraculously the wall Robin and the leader of the gang were against was surprisingly intact, sheltered by one of the pillars that hadn't been blown up in the bombings. The doors had collapsed, falling into the building in broken piles, huge chunks of stone and plaster having shattered them. The vault door was ripped off its hinges, a large supporting pillar having ripped it off the wall. Screams could be heard from outside, voices calling out in panic, the Titans calling for their friends, knowing that for Raven to have let the shield go, something must have happened.

It took Robin only seconds to make his way to where he had last seen Raven, his heart frozen in his chest in fear. He scrambled over the debris, noticing what appeared to be the edge of a cloak, torn and dirtied, under a large chunk of stone.

"Raven?" Robin's voice cracked as he called out to her, hoping for a response, praying for any sign that she was okay. No sound came from the empath, and he barely noticed the frantic shouts of his team, as they tried to assist their friends. _Too late, they're too late! She's already hurt! Raven where are you?_

"Help me! She's under here! We have to get her out!" Robin started pulling chunks of plaster and rock away from where he could see her cloak.

"Hold on Raven, we're going to get you out of here. You're going to be fine. You'll see." He found himself babbling, anything to cover up the silence that echoed in his ears, the silence of his soul when it feared for its other half. He was barely aware of the others also digging frantically for their fallen friend.

"Friend Raven!" Starfire's cry jolted Robin as he stumbled to her side, dropping to his knees beside the fallen empath.

Raven was lying on her back one arm thrown over her chest, her leotard and cloak torn and dirtied from her fall and the destruction laying around her. There were cuts on her arms and legs leaking blood. Her left arm was at an unnatural angle, clearly showing the break. A large bruise was forming on her left cheek, a gash above her right eyebrow. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing shallowly. But at least she was breathing.

Robin could only stare in horror for a few moments, unable to believe that this was the same girl that had held him this morning, bringing him a calm that had been missing for the past 11 years of his life. His memories of this morning burned in his brain, mocking the scene so gruesomely laid out before his eyes.

The wound in her stomach from the bullet drew his gaze as he realized she was losing blood and quickly. He had to act. He had to save her. He couldn't contemplate the alternative. A life without Raven…

He held his hand to the wound, placing pressure on her stomach to try and staunch the bleeding. He felt panic coursing through his veins, making it difficult to think, to breathe beyond his utter fear of losing her. Of his dark angel leaving his side.

"Raven, you can't do this. You need to wake up. C'mon Raven, you can't leave us like this. Please Raven, open your eyes, look at me. Hold on, you're going to be fine. You're going to make it. Please Raven, you c-can't d-die."

By now tears were streaming down his cheeks and everything was blurry, everything but her face. Nothing mattered but her. Her hair was strewn on the dirty ground, like a violet halo surrounding her perfect face, bruised and bloody from the fall.

"Please Raven." His tear choked voice was barely above a whisper, the golf-ball sized lump in his throat and squeezing in his chest preventing him from speaking any louder. But it seemed to be enough. Her eyelashes fluttered weakly, amethyst bright as the sun gazing into the white of his mask, seeming to see through it to the searing blue underneath.

"Robin?" Her voice was weak and scratchy, no louder than his.

"I'm here Raven, I'm right here. You're going to be fine. You can't leave me Raven, you have to hold on. We'll get you to the Tower, and you'll be okay." Robin was desperate to believe what he was telling her, had to believe it, his heart wouldn't believe anything less.

"I'm so tired," her voice was getting softer, her eyes fluttering shut as if the weight of her eyelids was too much for her to keep them open.

"No Raven! You have to stay awake! You have to stay with me! Please Raven. Please open your eyes, look at me. Raven!" Robin pleaded as more tears leaked out from his mask, cascading down his face, falling to splash against her cheek as he leaned over her broken body on the dusty cement. Her eyes fluttered open one more time, mere slits as she gazed up at him, forcing a small smile through blood speckled lips.

"I won't leave you Boy Blunder, I made a promise…" Her voice faded as she closed her eyes and was still.

"Raven? C'mon Raven, wake up! RAVEN! WAKE UP! Please, don't do this to me, I can't do this without you. Please Raven, please! Cyborg! Cyborg help her! RAAAVVEEEN!" His anguished plea went unanswered as the woman remained silent and still in his arms, her breathing raspy and short.

"Robin give her to me. Robin, c'mon man I'll take her to the Tower, we'll make her right as rain. Raven's tough, she can pull through this. Bring her to the car and we'll take care of her."

Cyborg's voice barely penetrated the despair clutching at his heart, making it pound, making it hard to breathe. All he can see is the bloody and battered body of his dark angel laying on a hard ceramic floor, with rain beginning to fall through the large hole in the roof, with a gaping wound in her stomach, from a madman's bullet. His world was ending, spilling out with her blood onto the uncaring floor, under soggy skies and a dismal sun.

Robin jerked as Cyborg tried to lift Raven from his arms. Glaring up at his cybernetic friend, he clutched her tightly, afraid that if he let her go, he'd never see her again.

"C'mon Rob, give Raven to me, we have to get her to the Tower. She's going to be fine, but we have to get her to the Tower. Now." Cyborg looked at Robin patiently, understanding how hard this was for his leader, but also knowing that there was a good possibility that Raven wouldn't be okay, especially if they didn't get her to the Tower and the medical attention she so desperately needed.

Robin stood with Raven in his arms, tears still making tracks in the dirt covering his face. He forced himself to let the leader inside of him take over, knowing that he needed to keep a clear head, knowing that he wouldn't be able to help Raven if he fell to pieces as his emotions were urging him to do. To fall to the ground and scream out his agony as he felt Raven's breathing become more shallow, her blood coating his hands and uniform.He held her tightly, and started to make his way out of the bank as fast as he could without hurting the beautiful woman laying so still and silent in his arms.

"Cyborg, get the T-Car, bring it out front. You drive, I'll look after her wound. Starfire, Beast Boy stay here and help with anything that needs to be done. Take that bastard out the police and have him charged with attempted murder." By the time he had made it down the stairs, Cyborg had the car waiting, the back door open and the medical kit waiting for him. Robin laid Raven across the back seat, and immediately placed clean bandages over her stomach, trying to stop the bleeding which had started to slow down. Robin couldn't tell if it was because her blood was clotting or because she was….he didn't allow himself to think of the possibility that she was dying. He wouldn't accept that. He wouldn't give into the despair that was clawing at his soul, the despair that was demanding that he curl up and die along with her. _She's not going to die. If she can defeat Trigon, then she can live through this._ He allowed his hope to build up in his chest, memories of another time when all seemed lost to flit across his mind and the look on her face when she had hugged him after a trip to hell comfort him.

Robin maintained the pressure on her wound, removing his blood stained glove as he leaned over her, brushing the hair out of her eyes, wishing she would open them and look at him. Wishing that she was okay, hoping that she would be alright.

"Raven, you have to hold on. We're almost there and then Cyborg will take care of you and you'll be fine. You'll see. You'll be up and demanding to be allowed to go back to your own room in no time. You'll be meditating and drinking tea and fighting with Beast Boy like usual. You and Star will go shopping and paint each other's toe nails. And you and I…" Robin felt his breath hitch, tears cascading down his face, falling to leave tracks in the dirt on her cheeks. He brushed them away, reveling in the feeling of her soft skin beneath his hand. "You and I will train." Memories of that morning filtered through his head, making him wonder how so much could happen in so little time. "It's difficult to train in this relationship without you and it may take me a life-time to get the hang of it…" He marveled at the idea of spending a life-time with her as he stared at her face, searching for any sign that she had heard him, any sign that she was going to come back to him. He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently.

"We're here. Let's get her to the lab." Cyborg opened the door, and Robin gently lifted the injured empath from the back seat, quickly making his way to the elevators and Raven's only hope.

* * *


	5. Sleeping Beauty

**_Sleeping Beauty..._**

* * *

Robin bolted upright in bed, a cold sweat breaking out over his skin, his heart pounding as he relived the fight at the bank for the 100th time since it occurred three weeks prior. He took a shaky breath, trying to calm his racing heart and the blood pounding in his ears. He looked around his room, noting the faint light peeking through his curtains, the mess of clothes and other miscellaneous junk on the floor. He hadn't been spending much time in his room lately, choosing to spend the time he wasn't out protecting the city with Raven.

Running a trembling hand through his hair, he tried, without much success, to get the sight of her falling out of his mind. As had become his habit, he closed his eyes, taking deep purifying breaths as he allowed his mind to sink into the memories of a beautiful morning on a roof not so very long ago when his world made sense. As always, the memory of that hug soothed his ruffled mind and calmed his fears. He instinctively reached out through the bond, trying to feel something from the empath. Nothing.

Sighing, the Boy Wonder got out of bed, stretching as he stumbled over the debris on his floor into his bathroom for his morning hygienic ritual.

"I really should clean this place. It's starting to look like Beast Boy's room. At least nothing is moving on its own…..I hope." He mumbled to himself as he turned on the shower trying to psyche himself up for the coming day. "C'mon Rob, it'll be okay. Today will be the day. You'll see. Everything will be alright." This was part of his daily ritual, had become necessary over the past three weeks to keep his hope alive. Dropping his clothes onto the floor, he stepped into the shower and mentally prepared for what was to come.

After drying off and dressing, Robin proceeded to the kitchen for breakfast, mentally preparing a checklist of what needed to be done that day.

_Alright, I have to go see Raven, that's item one after breakfast. _

_Second, I have to check that new lead on those twins we fought the other day. I wish there was more on them. I wonder if…_

His thoughts continued on as he walked into the kitchen, noticing the smell of eggs and bacon already in the air, Cyborg standing behind the counter, apparently just completing cooking breakfast for himself and the masked leader.

"Morning Rob. Bacon and eggs this morning. I didn't feel up to making anything else." Cyborg deposited the food onto plates and placed one in front Robin, along with a cup of coffee, before sitting down across the counter from Robin, digging into his own breakfast.

Robin reached out for his coffee, wrapping his hands around the cup for warmth, as though it could ease the constant ache in his chest. Lifting the cup to his lips, he slowly sipped the liquid, savoring the taste as it slid down his throat. While the others all seemed to hate coffee, he found the sharp taste refreshing in the mornings, found that it woke up his mind and energized his body. Of course that could have been the large dose of caffeine it poured into his system, but he didn't really care about the reasons for it. Just that it worked.

Setting his cup down, he looked at Cyborg, noting the almost mechanical way he was eating. He had been like this for a couple of weeks now. Cyborg no longer laughed as frequently, nor joked with Beast Boy as often. He was very subdued, concentrating on work and helping Robin catch the criminals that had been giving them problems. He took his role as second in command very seriously, with Raven currently out of the picture. He blamed himself for what had happened to Raven. They all blamed themselves. Which was silly since Raven herself would never blame them, but telling the mind something is silly and having the heart believe it are two very different things.

"Any change this morning?" Robin kept is voice neutral, having asked the same question every day for the past three weeks. He stared down at his plate, not wanting to meet Cyborg's eyes and see the despair growing daily reflected in his expression. Robin still believed that she would be okay, but his friends were starting to doubt. After all, it had been three weeks already…

"Nothing. She still hasn't woken up. I gave her a new intravenous bag today, and Starfire is going to bathe her later, but….she's still not awake. I'm really worried. The longer she stays in this coma, the less likely it is that she's going to come out of it." The worry and frustration in Cyborg's tone were evident. The strain was starting to get to him. It was starting to get to all of them. Nobody knew what to do while Raven lay in her healing coma in the medical lab, not having moved since the battle weeks prior.

Robin sighed, nodding his head in agreement, his hope dwindling just a little. They were all off lately. Their balance was missing, the balance in the form of a sarcastic half-demon who acted as their anchor in so many ways. They missed her in battle; she had always been there to cover their backs, catching the things that they hadn't noticed, putting up protective shields, putting it all on the line for them if needed. Their battles felt sloppy and unrehearsed, like they were a new team. They had never realized how much they depended on her powers, her _presence_, until she wasn't there. They all relied on her for so much, even just listening to their problems. Raven was the best in the tower at that. She never gave advice, unless it was asked for, she just listened, letting her friends know without having to say anything that she was there for them.

Starfire had become increasingly quiet as the days passed, spending time at Raven's beside, reading her Tameranian literature that she thought Raven might enjoy, or just discussing all the news of the Tower, keeping her friend up to date on the happenings of the life going on around her. She believed that Raven could hear them and that one day she was going to wake up. Her unfailing belief in that fact was only dampened slightly by the unchanging condition of her friend, but she refused to give up hope.

Beast Boy had matured drastically with the fall of the resident empath. He had been shocked at how badly she had been hurt, almost unable to believe that something could hurt Raven like that, especially a normal human with exceptionally good luck and a gun. He had railed against the idea of Raven not waking up, of his big sister not being okay. When she had first entered the healing coma, he had visited every day, talking with her with Starfire, filling in anything that the beautiful alien may have missed. The visits slowly dwindled and eventually stopped altogether as the severity of the situation settle in. He hadn't touched his game-station for days, and most days he could be found training in the gym, working on his reflexes, his physique and changing into different animals, new animals, something that could be useful. He was punishing himself for not being able to help, ignoring the fact that none of them could have helped her.

Robin sighed again, depressing himself further with his morbid thoughts of his friends and how they had all changed with Raven's fall. Placing his dishes in the sink, and turning to walk out the doors, he paused briefly behind Cyborg, who was now simply pushing eggs around on his plate, staring intently down at them as if they held the answer to making Raven well again.

"She's going to get through this Cyborg. Nobody is tougher than Raven. She's going to wake up and scold us all for worrying so much about her and demand that she be let out of the medical wing to return to her room. Just wait. You'll see. She'll be fine." Robin gripped his friend's shoulder briefly before walking out the door, making his way to his fallen angel.

Cyborg watched his friend disappear out the door, slightly awed by the never ending hope the Boy Wonder displayed.

"I hope you're right Rob, I hope you're right."

* * *

Robin lowered himself into the chair beside Raven's bed, eyes never leaving the still and silent figure hovering ever so slightly above the mattress, wrapped in a blue glow, shot through with white lights. He studied her as he did every day, looking for the smallest change in her appearance or demeanor that would signal she was coming back to them. 

Physically she was completely healed. After the surgery to take the bullet out of her stomach was successful, her magic had seemed to kick in and she was surrounded by the blue glow of her healing magic. Cyborg had hypothesized that it was because of a foreign object in her system that she had been unable to heal herself. With the bullet gone, she was free to focus her energies on closing up the wound and repairing the internal injuries.

The full list of her injuries had been astounding. Cyborg had been amazed that she was still alive when they had finally discovered all that was wrong with her. Broken left tibia, right collarbone and femur, four ribs, left pelvic bone, right knee joint and a crack in her skull. That didn't even include the internal injuries to her organs, or the gashes all across her body.

The signs of the injuries were gone now, the splints to assist in her healing taken away when the x-rays had come back clean, showing all was well again within her body. She just hadn't woken up yet. Cyborg figured that there had been damage to her brain that she was currently healing, nothing they could help with. The brain was a very tricky area, and the crack in her skull had caused swelling within her brain, making it impossible to determine if there was a specific cause to her present coma or if it was because of her magic.

Robin wrapped his hand around her right one, leaning against the bed, staring down into her face, memorizing her calm features. Her hair had grown exponentially since she had been injured, they figured it was from the sheer amount of magic she was using, as that always seemed to make it grow. It fell now all around her body, hanging off the bed, obviously newly washed and brushed, still slightly damp in places. Starfire had obviously already been there to give Raven her daily bath. Starfire took her job very seriously and insisted that Raven be cleaned daily, her muscles exercised so that she would wake up as she had gone to sleep. Only with long hair.

Robin adored her long hair, often playing with it for hours as he sat by her bedside, working, talking to her or just gazing at her willing for her to wake up. He was most often found in the medical room and left usually only to fight or train for a few hours when Starfire or Cyborg were with her. He even took to eating most of his meals with her until Cyborg insisted that he eat breakfast and dinner with the rest of them in the morning. Of course, the "rest of them" was usually just Cyborg at breakfast, but Robin understood his insistence on Robin spending time with them. They all needed each other, now more than ever.

He reached out and stroked her hair, his gloves having been left in his room. He often went without them now, unless they were out fighting. He wanted to feel the life thrumming through her veins, the pulse of energy surrounding her, reminding him that she was going to come back. He just hoped it was soon. He didn't know how much more they could take.

Robin leaned over her, gently kissing her forehead before releasing his hold on her hand and picking up the files he had left on the table beside her bed yesterday. He was flipping through pages when movement caught his eye.

Raven had settled back onto the mattress, and the blue glow surrounding her seemed to be fading. Wild joy surged through his chest and he grabbed his communicator and whipped it open, hitting the all page button. The voices of his friends came out the communicator, asking what was wrong. Robin could hear the concern in their voices, but didn't move his eyes from Raven, who was slightly stirring, her hands grasping the blanket under her.

"She's waking up. Get down here." Robin didn't wait to hear their reactions, he flipped the communicator closed and stood, grasping her hand, leaning over her slightly.

"Raven? Raven can you hear me?" His voice was soft, barely above a whisper as he tried to contain the wild scream of joy that was bubbling up inside him. He brushed her hair out of her face, letting his fingers linger on her cheek, marveling at the warmth she exuded. She felt different than she had before; she felt _alive_ for the first time in three weeks. He felt tears well up in his eyes, but they didn't fall as a smile spread across his face, bright enough to rival the sun.

"Raven? It's me Raven, it's Robin. You're safe. You're going to be okay. Wake up Raven, come back to us." His voice was quivering now, the emotion becoming harder to suppress as she moved, her head leaning into the hand he had resting on her cheek. He cupped the side of her face, his thumb stroking across her cheekbone, his breath caught in his throat at the tender gesture. He felt light headed, dizzy with the euphoria pouring through him as he felt her through their bond once again. Breathing was becoming an issue, but hey, who needed to breathe anyway? Raven was waking up!

The others crashed through the door, questions pouring out of them, demanding answers as they crowded around their fallen friend.

"Dude, she's awake?" The hope in Beast Boy's voice was heart breaking as he dared to believe once again that Raven was coming back to them. His big sister was going to be alright. He wanted to jump up and down with joy, wanted to scream it out the world that Raven was going to be okay. But he couldn't leave yet, not until he knew for sure so he stood at her bedside, almost vibrating with the emotions running rampant through him.

"Friend Raven? Are you awake?" Starfire stood at the head of Raven's bed, gently stroking the violet hear spilling down to the floor. Tears of joy were filling her eyes as she gazed down at the woman she considered her dearest friend and sister. Life had been dull and lifeless without Raven there to spend time with. She covered her gasp with one hand when Raven murmured inaudibly before settling down again. She wanted to fly around the room and sing the Tameranian song of joyfulness, but instead settled for stroking Raven's hair, unwilling to break contact just yet.

Cyborg stood at the foot of her bed, scanning her with his arm, confirming that she was indeed waking up, that she was actually returning to them from a three week long absence. The smile growing across his face confirmed to the rest of them that she was finally coming out of her coma. Cyborg sighed deeply, trying to calm the emotions careening around in his head, his missing "Booyah!" screaming to get out. His little sister was waking up! It didn't get better than this!

Raven shifted, her legs and arms moving stiffly across the bed as she slowly blinked open her eyes. The Titans held their breath, barely daring to believe that after three weeks their friend was returning to them. She blinked again slowly, obviously trying to focus her eyes. She gazed at the ceiling before moving her head slightly and looking at all of them standing around her, their faces showing their excitement at her revival.

Her lips formed words, but no sound came out, and Cyborg anticipating her needs, handed her a glass of water. She nodded her thanks to him as she slipped her hand out of Robin's, grasping the cup gently before she drank deeply and slowly from the cup, eyes moving from person to person, as if trying to decipher something. There was no emotion in her eyes, nothing to show happiness at waking up or surprise at them all standing around her or anything. She simply looked at them like she would look at a stranger.

Robin felt a slight niggle of fear at the lack of emotion in her eyes. _She doesn't seem to be very happy about waking up. What's wrong?_

He voiced the question before he could stop himself and felt his breath catch in his throat at she sent that penetrating look his way. Her eyes locked on his mask and Robin felt his knees go weak at the sight of the gaze he had been, deep down, doubting he'd ever see again. He wanted to hug her, keep her in his arms for the rest of his life. He wanted to kiss her and tell her of his love for her. He wanted to take her away from the others, wanted to keep her just for himself for awhile, just to reassure his soul that she wasn't going to leave him again. He did none of the above, holding himself still as her gaze bored into his.

She lowered the cup and played with it in her hands for a few minutes, dropping her gaze from Robin's, watching her fingers play with the rim.

"Raven?" Cyborg's voice was hesitant, obviously wondering what was wrong.

"Where am I?" Her voice was hesitant and cracked from long disuse, but they clearly heard her.

Robin and Cyborg exchanged worried looks. _She doesn't recognize the medical lab?_

"You're in the medical lab Raven, you were injured three weeks ago, and have been in a coma. Don't you remember?" Cyborg voiced the question, guessing correctly that Robin couldn't get it out, worry starting to gnaw at his gut.

"No. I don't." Raven quietly answered before taking another drink. She gripped the cup tighter as she lowered it to her lap once again before looking up at them, meeting each of their eyes, seemingly studying them once again.

"Who are you? Do I know you?" The question was like a knife to Robin's heart as he stared at her in shock and dismay. _She doesn't know us._

* * *


	6. When the barriers come crashing down

**_When the Barriers Come Crashing Down..._**

* * *

Raven bit back a groan as she thudded into the wall, sliding down it to rest on the floor, back braced by the wall that had just bruised it. Her chest heaved as she fought to control her breathing, legs and arms trembling from exertion. It had been two months since she had woken up to find herself in a strange place with four eager faces staring at her like she was the Messiah. It had been unnerving to say the least.

She rubbed the back of her head as she looked around the training room, noting what everyone else was doing. She managed to keep from snorting inelegantly at the idea that they were all super heroes. _What kind of super hero look like a walking traffic light? Weren't you supposed to blend in with general populace? What's the point of having a secret identity when you stick out like a sore thumb?_ She sighed softly as she braced herself against the wall, leveling herself into a vertical stance, her back throbbing from the impact. _That's gonna leave a bruise. Why am I doing this? I'm not a super hero. I have no powers, I obviously have no physical powers or else street light over there wouldn't be able to toss me around like a rag doll. I wonder what I… _her inner thoughts trailed off as she tried to realize just what it was she was pondering_ …well that's just it isn't it? You wonder everything. You don't even know who you are or who they are or why you're here._ Raven felt the loneliness creep back into her as she remembered the feelings of isolation that she had managed to keep at bay for the past half hour of training.

Noting the sudden silence in the room, she snapped her head up, not having noticed that she was leaning against the wall, her arms crossing her chest, hugging herself for comfort. Everyone was staring at her, having stopped to insure that she was okay. They had been acting like the smallest thing happening to her was the end of the world, like she was some fragile china doll that would be broken if they didn't coddle her. It was annoying. She may not be as strong as the Redhead, _Starfire _a voice in her mind supplied, or as fast as the street light, _Robin_ the same voiced seemed to sigh with longing, but she wasn't completely hopeless. She seemed to have great agility and an intuitive knowledge of what the others were going to do. Her body remembered them, even if her mind didn't. She nodded to them, signaling that she was fine, before heading towards the girl's change rooms, needing to be away from the concern in their eyes and their overwhelming need to be around her.

She was very uncomfortable around them. She could feel their pulsing need to have their friend back, the need to have_ **Raven**_ return to them. Every day it got a little worse as their hope dwindled, but they all put up brave faces for her, not wanting to make her feel unwanted. But no matter what they did, she could somehow _feel_ how unhappy they were that she didn't seem to be getting any better. And she didn't know how to act around them. They seemed to expect certain things from her and when she didn't do them, they all felt disappointment, even as they tried to act natural.

Robin seemed to be the worst. He silently stared at her for unending moments, seemingly willing her to do something, to **_be_** someone that she couldn't remember. He would follow her through the Tower at times, trying to talk to her about something that she couldn't quite follow. Robin had taken to meditating with her in the mornings on the roof of the Tower. Starfire had introduced it to her, claiming that it had been a favourite pastime of hers. She found it to be quite soothing, even if she didn't quite understand what Starfire had been talking about. _Nevermore? What on earth is that?_ _And I'm supposed to find this place?_ She found relaxation in blocking out the world around her, found that she could suppress all the emotions flooding the Tower by picturing walls inside her mind, blocking out the others from overwhelming her. Her emotions seemed to come alive on their own, she could almost picture different coloured versions of herself that seemed to represent different aspects of her emotions. She hadn't mentioned it to Starfire but it was becoming more prevalent and starting to rather unnerve her. She didn't really know how to bring the topic up however. _Yeah, I see people when I meditate, only they're me in different coloured robes. What does it mean?_ She could see that conversation going really well.

Having finished showering and dressing, she made her way to the kitchen, trying to block out the unwanted thoughts that seemed to be crowding her brain lately, images from dreams that should mean something to her, but slipped away when she tried to analyze them too closely. It was frustrating to know that she had lived a lifetime, a rather exciting one if the Titans were anything to go by, and she couldn't remember any of it. She could remember mundane things, like her favourite colour, her love of tea, little things like that, but she often wondered if that was simply something from the new her, rather than remembering the old her.

Sitting down on a stool, she lifted the green tea to her lips and took a slow sip, savouring the taste and warmth as it slid down her throat. She closed her eyes, calming her mind and slowing her breathing, trying to stop the chaos whirling in her mind. Her thoughts drifted away, and she felt like she was floating in a deep void, nothing around her, no pressure to be someone she wasn't….or couldn't be.

Raven existed in her void, not thinking, not feeling, just floating until the hiss of the doors opening alerted her to someone else coming in. She stayed where she was, not opening her eyes, trying to ignore the interruption. However, the emotions pouring off said person would not allow her to ignore them. She could feel the tension settling in their shoulders, sense the restraint they were employing to keep themselves from blurting out things she did not want or need to hear. They were like a coil ready to spring and she felt her emotions rouse as if a hunting call had sounded. Only one person felt like this. Their illustrious "leader". _Robin._

_

* * *

_

Robin stood silently in the doorway, contemplating the long violet braid that lay like silk down the middle of Raven's back. It contrasted sharply with the dark colouring of her shirt. He noticed that she had yet to wear her costume since she had awoken. It was another sign that she was not who she had been before the bank robbery. As if he needed more signs. It was so obvious that she was not who she had been, and the Raven he knew didn't seem to be coming back. He knew that she felt adrift, felt like an outcast among them as they tried to accept the changes in her. He felt lost without her there. He found himself staring at her constantly, watching her every move, cataloguing every change within her, as he tried to convince himself that the Raven he knew and loved would come back, it would just take time. But time was not something he had a lot of. Each day that passed crushed more of the hope that he had in her coming back. He knew it could take years for a person's memory to come back, but he didn't think he would be able to handle it if it took that long. His anchor was gone and he was adrift. She looked like the Raven he knew, but at the same time there was such a fundamental difference in her that it was as if she were a complete stranger, which for the most part she was. _Raven is gone…_

Robin sighed before heading in her direction, noticing that she hadn't moved since he had entered. She sat silently drinking her tea, not taking notice of anything around her. That bothered him for some reason, that she could dismiss his presence when he knew that she was aware of him. Even if she didn't understand how her powers worked, which was apparent from her obvious lack of use of them, he knew that her empathy would have notified her that someone was there, yet still she chose to ignore him.

He sat across from her on a stool, watching as she looked down into her tea contemplatively, seemingly ignoring him. Unable to stand the oppressing silence for another minute, he cleared his throat trying to get her attention. She looked up at him and locked her gaze on his, expression never altering as she waited for him to say what was on his mind.

"Are you alright? That hit looked pretty bad….I didn't mean to throw you so hard, I..I just got carried away I guess." She continued to stare at him, causing him to squirm in his seat before she took pity on him and lowered her gaze to her tea again.

"I'm fine. It doesn't even hurt anymore. I guess the shower helped." He wondered about that statement, wondering if she even considered the idea that she healed fast because of some force outside of the norm.

Robin cleared his throat again, it was as dry as the Sahara. "I'm glad. I wouldn't want you injured again now that you seem to be physically okay." He realized how dumb that statement was and stuttered as he tried to clarify what he had just said to her. He opened his mouth to try to clarify, to attempt to have a civil conversation with her before snapping it shut again, without saying anything, noticing that her eyes were closed again.

Raking his hands through his hair, Robin tried not to yell out in frustration, realizing that it was not her fault. It was not her fault that she couldn't remember his best friend, his lifeline, the voice in his head reminding him of what it was to truly live. Dropping his hands back to the counter he took a deep cleansing breath before clearing his throat to get her attention once more. She opened one eye, with her eyebrow raised, clearly showing she was not impressed with him annoying her. He found himself smiling, regardless of the slight glare she was giving him. It was a Raven look.

"I've talked to the Justice League and they said they would be willing to assist you in attempting to regain your memories or heal you or whatever it is that is keeping you from remembering. Also, they have magicians and other people who can assist you in…" He trailed off, not knowing how to word what he was going to say. "Finding your powers again." Raven had opened both eyes now and was regarding him with a blank expression, betraying nothing about what she felt. He felt his frustration rise as she didn't move or say anything. Just when he was about to blow a gasket she finally shrugged and with a muttered "Whatever" she got off her stool and headed for the door to the roof, signaling the end of the conversation whether he was ready for it to end or not.

Robin waited for the door to close before letting the growl building in his chest escape as he attempted, once again, to regain control of his frustration and aggravation. A large hand on his shoulder helped ground his anger. He took deep breathes, waiting for Cyborg to say whatever was on his mind, knowing that it had to do with Raven.

Cyborg could feel the tension thrumming through Robin's body; he was almost vibrating with it. He had been just as tense lately, waiting for the inevitable explosion in the Tower. Nerves were frayed and tempers pushing their boundaries while everyone tried to return to normal, whatever that was now classified as.

Cyborg took the seat beside Robin's, regarding his friend with a neutral expression, having been Robin's sounding board since Raven had gone into her coma. He had seen the changes that were enveloping the Tower, from Beast Boy's obsession with perfecting his abilities, to Starfire's unending need to be around them, as if making sure everyone was still there and still okay. Raven's near brush with death had frightened them all. Nobody had ever come so close to dying as Raven had, especially so soon after they thought she had been lost to the Hell of her father's creation. To have gotten her back and then losing her again to this new Raven was unconscionable. He wondered how they were going to survive the changes.

Cyborg had become the unofficial therapist for everyone in the Tower, minus Raven. He listened as Starfire poured out her heart, her fears of her friends leaving her, of Raven especially not coming back. Raven was the sister Starfire had always dreamed of and it was scaring her that she hadn't returned to normal yet. He had tried to explain to her that it would take time but Starfire had never seen anything like this on her planet and didn't understand what was happening. She felt lost and Cyborg was at a loss as to what to tell her. She would usually smile softly as his platitudes and drift slowly from the room, crooning to Silkie, moping around the Tower for hours as she attempted to show a happy face that was cracking more each day.

Beast Boy was found most days in the training room, or on the obstacle course, rarely showing the carefree boy they all loved, even if they wouldn't admit it. It was disheartening to see him grow up so suddenly. He had taken Raven's fall personally, and was fast losing hope as to her coming back. He spent little time with her if he didn't have to, unable to be around someone who looked like his beloved sister, but wasn't her. He viewed her as a stranger, which she essentially was, and he was scared to let her into his life, unwilling to take the chance that she would be taken from him again. He avoided all physical contact and rarely spoke to her, which didn't seem to be a problem since she rarely spoke to any of them. Cyborg worried about Beast Boy and his handling, or as the case may be, ignoring of the problems in the Tower. He made a mental note to talk to him.

Robin slammed his hands against the counter, snapping Cyborg from his mental musings, and forcing him to concentrate again on his "leader" who was slowly unraveling from all the stress. Cyborg knew what Raven meant to him, heck she meant just as much to Cyborg even if it was in a different way. He knew Robin was lost without her, they all were, but Robin seemed to be pushing for something that wasn't there and he was worried that he was going to snap one day and lash out at the wrong person, namely Raven.

"Are you sure you've tried everything Cyborg? It doesn't make sense, why doesn't she remember?" Cyborg sighed, hearing the depression settling in behind the pleading tone. Robin was giving up hope and Cyborg didn't know how to help him.

"Yes Robin, I've tried everything. That's why we called the Justice League remember? They have better technology then we do, although if you ever tell anyone I said that, I'll deny it." His attempt at humour fell flat as Robin continued staring into space, not reacting to the statement. Cyborg sighed again, reaching out a hand grip Robin's shoulder. "She's going to come back Rob. Raven is going to be fine, just give it time."

Robin stared up at him with a heartbroken expression, the strong mask of a leader crumbling under his fears.

"How can you know that Cyborg? It's been weeks and she's not remembering anything. Or if she is, she hasn't said anything to me. Has she said anything to you?" Robin's expression lightened somewhat with hope that although Raven wasn't talking to him, maybe she was talking to someone.

Cyborg looked down at the counter, shaking his head sadly. "She hasn't said anything to me, but I know she's going to get better Robin. I won't believe anything else. She's Raven. She defeated Trigon for heaven's sake. She's the strongest person I know and she's going to come back to us." Cyborg put as much conviction and confidence into his voice as possible, willing Robin to believe the same. They couldn't have their leader falling apart on them. Not that Robin ever would, but he had drifted from them since the accident and Cyborg was worried about losing Robin as well as Raven.

Robin tentatively smiled at Cyborg, trying to give the appearance of believing him, when the doubts lingered heavily in his mind, and tightened like a vice around his heart, making it difficult to think past his own pain. He opened his mouth to say something more, anything that would take that worried look of Cyborg's face when the alarm sounded. He felt his features hardening as the leader took over once again.

Striding swiftly to the computer console, he quickly found the problem and assessed the information about the situation. Hearing the others come into the room, he spun on his heel, heading for the door that would lead to the rest of the Tower and the T-Car.

"Trouble downtown, it's Adonis." He noticed the hard look in Beast Boys eyes, and the calm resolve that was there. It was such a change from the old Garfield, that Robin felt a pang in his chest at the loss of innocence. _Come back to us Raven, we're lost without you._

_

* * *

_

Arriving at the chemical factory, the Titans quickly surrounded the perpetrator, who seemed to be looking for something of a particular nature, what exactly they could not easily guess. The guards had been rendered unconscious and Adonis seemed to be quite vexed at his inability to find what he sought, if his cursing was anything to go by.

"Stop Adonis, the gig is up. You're going down. Titans Go!" _(AN: I'm sorry, I couldn't think of anything for Robin to say) _The rest of the Titans jumped into the fray, quickly engaging Adonis from all sides, while Raven kept back, not really knowing what she was doing there. It was the first battle she was attending since the shooting and she had no idea what it was she was supposed to do. She watched in silence as Starfire shot bolts of green light at a man in a red, iron costume, as Cyborg shot a blue beam of some kind at his back, keeping him distracted while Robin and Beast Boy charged him from either side. It was an impressive display of skill and teamwork and it nudged something in Raven's memory, a _man in red pinning her to the floor, leering down at her… a flash of green_…_a beast in a sewer_…Raven jolted out of her memory as she hit the floor, Adonis pinning her to the ground, her teammates outside of her field of vision. She stared up at him, shock parting her lips, fear widening her eyes, and anger starting to surface that this cretin would dare touch her, her anger seeming to stem from an outside source...

Adonis pinned her easily to the floor, seemingly enjoying the contact with the hour-glassed figure of the dark Titan even through his armor. He leered down at her, before leaning down to nuzzle against her cheek, his breath hot in her ear, his tone sneering as he whispered to her: "I heard you had fallen pretty bird, and not gotten back up. I'm pleasantly surprised to find otherwise, as you're still mine to capture now. You belong to Adonis, not some petty bank robber or some colour-blind bird and certainly not a green punk." He licked the side of her neck, in a show of possessiveness as he leaned back. Raven shuddered in disgust before something primal gave way in her.

"I. Belong. To. No. One." Her tone was clipped and as chilly as the winter in Antarctica as her eyes glowed white and a wind whipped around them. Adonis was pushed off her by an unseen force, eyes wide as he attempted to move and found that he was completely bound. "How dare you? How **_dare_** you? You think you own me? Nobody owns me! Not you! Not Slade! Not my Father! **_HOW DARE YOU!"_** She floated into the middle of the room, her powers roaring around her, unchecked and out of control as she lost herself in the maelstrom of her emotions, memories fighting for dominance as they flashed too quickly through her mind for her to understand. Dark power shredded the armor off of Adonis, leaving a trembling, skinny man curled in a fetal position, trying not to scream in terror at the dark goddess before him, her violet hair whipping around her in a frenzy, her eyes white with rage and fury.

Raven screamed, an unearthly sound that raised the hairs on the necks of the Titans, as they clung to anything that would keep them grounded, wide-eyed at the sight of their teammate in the centre of a tornado of power. The dark power multiplied, whipping everything into a fury, as the lights exploded and the factory was sent into an inky blackness that seemed to amplify the screaming wind and Raven's howl as she lost herself in the glory of her birthright that had been stripped from her with the shot of a bullet.

Cyborg clung to water piping in the wall, as he focused his cybernetic eye on where he had last seen Raven, picking up her body heat as her power continued to destroy the factory, shaking the roof and the very foundations of the building. He leveled his sonic cannon at her, knowing that if he didn't do something, they could be killed. Nobody else was close enough to take her out, and he seriously doubted anything would get through to her at this point. Taking aim, he held his breath, praying to anyone that would listen to let this work out.

Blue light pulsed through the oppressive darkness as Cyborg fired at the floating figure shrouded in darkness and power. It hit her straight in the back, jolting her in the air, before the power completely shut off, sending her plummeting to the ground 30 feet below her.

Beast Boy didn't wait to see anything else as he raced to where the light had ended, straining his senses to hear Raven falling. He knew why Cyborg had done it, knew that Raven would have wanted him to, but it still hurt to think that she might be injured once again, that they may once again come close to losing her. He heard the whistle of wind passing an object plummeting at an alarming speed to the hard concrete floor and morphing into a gorilla, used his enhanced senses to find his teammate and caught her before she could hit the ground.

Cyborg's light flooded the area as the other Titans rushed towards where they had last seen Raven. Cyborg's breath caught as he saw the still form laying in Beast Boy's arms, violet hair trailing to the ground, eyes closed, chest moving slowly with deep breaths. He let out a large sigh of relief as he realized that she was still alive, still breathing, and would hopefully be okay.

Robin could hear his breath rasping in his lungs as he raced to Beast Boy's side, praying that Raven was alright. He had heard her! She remembered! She knew Slade and Trigon, Raven was back! He was exhilarated at the idea that she had finally returned, and scared that Cyborg's shot had taken her away again. He knew why Cyborg had done it, knew that it was necessary, but also knew that there was a good chance that Raven would be injured again. Sliding to a stop in front of Garfield's still figure, he reached out a shaking hand to check her pulse, and stopped abruptly as she groaned and stirred. He felt a hand clench around his chest as he waited for her to open her eyes and acknowledge them.

Raven felt as if someone had dropped a load of bricks on her head as she felt consciousness returning to the inky blackness surrounding her. She felt warmth surrounding her as someone grasped her tightly, warm thoughts filling her head with concern for her and overwhelming relief coming from around her. She blinked her eyes slowly, trying to see something more than shadows. Blinking again, she turned her head and caught sight of Robin standing beside her, a worried frown on his face, but a feeling of relief and suppressed excitement emanated from him.

"Robin? What happened? Where am I?" She tried to stand up and felt someone lowering her to the ground, steadying her feet as she swayed. Looking up she locked eyes with serious jade ones that held relief and happiness. "Beast Boy? What's going on?"

Robin felt like shouting to the rooftops. She remembered! He restrained himself from enveloping Raven in a hug, seeing that she was still weak and woozy. _Of course she is idiot. She just got shot with a sonic cannon and fell 20 feet after losing control of her powers. You would be too!_ He ignored the cynical inner voice and concentrated on Raven instead, a smile threatening to split his face. "Are you alright Raven? We were fighting Adonis and you lost control of your powers, and well, Cyborg…..stopped you and Beast Boy caught you and you're alright!" Robin stopped his babbling as he realized that Raven was staring at him as if he had a second head.

Steadying herself, Raven moved away from Robin and Beast Boy, closer to the hovering Starfire with Adonis held loosely in her grasp. Looking around, Raven tried to find something to remind her of what had happened. Catching sight of the remains of Adonis' armor, she vaguely recalled a whirlwind, overwhelming darkness and crushing emotions. She gasped as she viewed Adonis again, seeing the cuts covering his body and the limp way he hung in Starfire's grasp.

"What did I do? What am I? How could I have done this? What happened to me?" Her breathing was escalating as she gasped in oxygen, overwhelmed by the memory of the fight and what she had done. "How is this possible? I don't have magic? What was that?" She was shaking her head slowly at first, before picking up speed, denying what her mind was telling her as she backed away from the group.

Robin stared at her in confusion before he realized that she hadn't actually remembered who she was, that her powers had somehow taken her over and the memories had surfaced, but with the power gone, she once again didn't remember them. His heart felt like it had plummeted to through his chest to rest somewhere in the region of his feet. His hopes were once again dashed, but he forced himself to put those thoughts away before Raven could pick up on them, however inadvertently.

"Raven, it's going to be alright. We'll take you to the Justice League, they can help, I know it." Robin made his voice as soothing as possible, a rather large feat considering he felt like screaming out the unfairness of it all. He moved towards her, and noticed her shrink back further. He stopped, stunned at how hurt he was that she didn't want him near her. _It's not Raven, it's not Raven, she doesn't remember you, it's not Raven._ His mental voice tried to sooth the hurt, but failed in its efforts. Robin stood, as if turned to stone, unable to move or say anything, his personal pain quelling every other thought.

Starfire, sensing the tension mounting in the room, placed Adonis on the floor beside the silent Cyborg and moved towards Raven's stiff and silent form. "Come friend Raven, we will return to the Tower now and Cyborg can look at your back. The Justice League will be able to assist." Raven's head snapped towards the beautiful alien as she reached out to lay a hand on Raven's shoulder. Raven stared at her for a moment more before letting her lead her away, eyes downcast, and shoulder's hunched as if to ward off a blow, or perhaps to keep away the nightmares of her memories.

Cybord stooped down and scooped up Adonis, under one arm, following the girls out of the factory, following the glow of Starfire's hands as she lit the way for Raven and herself. "C'mon guys, we have to talk to the authorities and get Adonis locked up again before heading back to the Tower." He offered no hopeful words, knowing there was nothing he could say to ease the pain of his two friends, pain that he shared in the lost hope of finding their Raven. Beast Boy and Robin followed silently, each lost in their thoughts of the dark bird of the Tower.

_

* * *

_

Sitting in the lounge of the Justice League Watchtower, Robin, Cyborg and Starfire remained silent and situated themselves away from the goings-on of the League around them. Beast Boy had chosen to stay in the Tower, claiming that someone had to stay in case there was an emergency, but Cyborg suspected it was more that he didn't want to be there to hear that the Justice League wouldn't be able to help. Many "superheroes" were heading in different directions, eating, chatting or working, but Cyborg noticed that after one look at the brooding bird in their midst, the Leaguers would steer clear of the Titans. They were waiting for Raven's return from being examined by the League founders and all three were anxious. Robin gripped his head in his hands, staring unseeing at the floor, while Starfire sat quietly in the corner, staring at the table as if it held the answers to their problem.

The doors opened with a mechanical swoosh and Cyborg looked up on reflex, before jumping to his feet at the sight of Batman filling the door. He gestured to the Titans, and Cyborg nudged the other two, before heading towards the door, following a silent Batman to the medical wing of the orbiting station. They entered without saying anything, seeing only Raven and the Martian Manhunter in the lab. Raven was sitting on one of the bio beds, fully dressed and apparently calm. J'onn was standing silently behind her, watching the Titans closely.

Batman waited in the corner, watching and listening for everything. Robin first made eye-contact with his mentor, before finally latching his gaze onto Raven. He felt the stirrings of fear shoot up his spine at the closed look on her face, and found that he would rather have been anywhere but there at the moment.

Raven finally looked up and met each of their gazes before finally settling on Robin's. Nothing was revealed in her gaze and Robin felt the band around his chest tighten.

"I'm leaving the Titans."

* * *


	7. Falling into darkness

**_Falling into Darkness..._**

* * *

Raven continued to meet Robin's eyes as she prepared to explain her abrupt departure, noting the pain in his gaze, as well as the denial that was ready upon his lips. She continued when he opened his mouth to protest.

"The Justice League has offered to let me stay with them while I regain my memories. They have people who can help train me with my powers and can help me find out why my memories have not yet returned. Until I am…" She paused here, uncertain on how to make them understand her decision. "Until I rediscover who I **_AM_** then I am a liability to your team. You cannot continue with me. I am not helping the Titans and I cannot continue to stay there. It's been two months since I woke up and I haven't remembered anything yet. It's not helping me to stay there and it's certainly not helping you. I hope you all understand. I have to do this. If it means a chance to regain who I was, I have to take it."

Robin stared at her, uncomprehendingly. Her reasons made sense. He couldn't deny that while the logical part of his brain was agreeing with her. His heart was a different story. It didn't understand how she could leave them, leave **him**.

He understood all the reasons why it was a good idea for her to stay with the Justice League to regain her memories. They had magicians, healers and the World's best telepaths that could help her regain her memory, regain her sense of self. But all he felt was a hole growing in his heart; a gnawing at his gut that made him want to grab her and hold on. She was leaving. He didn't know for how long. He couldn't imagine the Tower without her, how he would do this without her.

Whether she was the old Raven or the new, she was still his balance. He couldn't stand the idea of living in the Tower without her. These past two months had been hard, but it would be near impossible to live without her, without knowing she was there and okay. His nightmares occurred nightly, images of her death at the hands of Slade, Trigon, and numerous other villains haunted him every night and he couldn't imagine not having her there in the morning to reassure him that she was alright. But she was so much more than that to the team, they were a family, and a family didn't function without everyone together, with a vital part of it missing.

He opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off by the look of imploring in her gaze. Raven had only ever looked at him like that once before, when she had sacrificed herself to her fate and had begged him to understand with only her look, her plea to keep going, to keep fighting without her, for she was leaving him and wasn't coming back.

Robin felt the words back up in his throat, clogging it, making it hard to breathe. He stared at her for infinitely long moments before spinning on his heel and walking out the door, heading for some destination that he couldn't find. He was leaving his home, sitting on a medical bed, with no memory of him or their time together; he was at a loss as to what to do...

* * *

Raven sighed softly, watching Robin walk out the door. She felt the turmoil and hurt whirling around him, stronger than the other two and felt a niggle in the back of her mind, something pushing her to understand why this was bothering him so much. Yes she was a member of the team, but if a member wasn't functioning, wouldn't a leader want them to get help? She knew that he had seemed to be very close with her, but she found that she was unable to make a connection with any of the team, and with him in particular. Every time he tried to get closer, a part of her shied away from the possibility of it, a fear that kept her from letting him in. _Because it's not you he wants, it's Raven, and you're not her._ She sighed at her thoughts, knowing that her internal "voice" was correct. She found Robin attractive, had caught herself staring at him during training, or when they were in the kitchen together. She could pinpoint where he was in the Tower at any given moment and could feel him above the others. It was one of the key reasons she was leaving. They all wanted Raven to be with them, and their anxiousness was suffocating her with the intensity of their emotions. There were too many questions that they couldn't answer, or wouldn't. She couldn't be their friend, they wanted someone she couldn't remember and didn't know how to be; it was time she left.

"I'm sorry. I hope you all understand, but I have to do this. I'll try to come back to you. I'll try to find Raven and come back to you." Raven watched as Starfire's eyes filled with tears and Cyborg's hand clenched into a fist, a muscle ticking along his jaw. Unable to take the rush of emotions from her "friends" she glanced briefly at J'onn and Batman before turning and heading for the door where Diana was waiting just outside to take her to her room.

Starfire watched Raven retreat, floating a few inches off the ground, wrapping her arms around her waist in a protective hug. Cyborg, noticing the move, stepped towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly in reassurance, even as he solemnly stared at the door Raven had just disappeared through.

"I do not understand. Why can Raven not come back with us? Why can she not become better with us? Does she no longer like us? Have we failed her Cyborg?" Starfire's clutched her sides, tightening her hug, trying to contain her tears which were obvious in the choked quality of her voice.

"It's not us Star. Raven is going through something we can't understand, and something we can't help her with. The Justice League has specialists, telepaths and magicians, who can help her. We can't do anything more for her. We can only be there for her when she's ready to return and let her know we'll always be there for her, regardless of what she remembers."

Starfire gazed at him for a moment, a single tear slipping down her cheek before she floated out the door Robin had gone through. Cyborg watched until it closed before turning back to regard the Martian and Batman. They watched him steadily, their faces giving nothing away about their feelings or thoughts about the discussion that had just occurred.

"Help her. She means the world to us and we can't function properly without her. We need our Raven back." He stared into the blank, white lenses of Batman's mask before continuing. "Train her, help her in combat because even if she doesn't come back as our Raven, she'll always be our friend." Batman regarded him silently before briefly inclining his head. Cyborg nodded in return, before turning and heading after Starfire and Robin.

"Their bond is very strong Batman. He will need her returned to him." J'onn watched Batman carefully, trying to guess what was going on through his mind without actually reading it. Batman remained immobile while he watched the door Raven had passed through.

"I warned him about becoming too close to those he worked with, I warned him about the consequences of it." J'onn watched him with amusement as Batman muttered about the warnings he had given young Robin.

"Just as you have remained aloof from your teammates? Just as you have not become close to some of your colleagues, like Diana for instance?" J'onn watched Batman stiffen, before a rueful shake of his head and a slight quirk of his lips showed the point well taken.

"I should know better than the try to fool a telepath. I will do what I can for her, train her for Robin's sake, as well as her own." J'onn could hear the unspoken thoughts in his head, the worry he felt for his adopted son that he may yet suffer the loss of another loved one.

"We will all help her Bruce, her and the others." He patted Batman's shoulder before moving towards the door, before tossing over his shoulder at the silent Batman, "Diana is taking her to the training room right now, why don't you go help?"

Batman watched the Martian leave the room before smirking and turning towards the door Raven had passed through, heading down to the training area to help Raven… and Diana.

_

* * *

_

Robin raced through the newest obstacle course that Cyborg had created, jumping over pitfalls, diving through tumbling rocks and spikes with ease. The difficulty of the course seemed to be nothing to him as he flipped and tumbled through it, landing on the other side, his breathing barely accelerated. He stood from his squatted landing and brushed imaginary dirt off his clothes before turning to Cyborg and nodding his head.

"Better. It was harder than the last time, keep it up." Cyborg merely shook his head as Robin headed towards the Tower, obviously headed to the gym, to get more training in, or perhaps his room to pour over the newspaper clippings piled on his desk, or surf the net for more information regarding potential criminals, or criminals at large.

It had been 3 months since Raven had left the Titans to go to the Justice League for help. A three months since anything had seemed remotely normal in the Tower. Months of training, of practicing and trying to maintain the unity of the team. They were all different since Raven had left, all a little more withdrawn, a little lost without the Tower's dark maiden.

Starfire watched sadly as Robin moved towards the Tower. He was spending less and less time with them, more time training, researching, spending time with them only during mealtimes and group training sessions. She clenched her hands together in front of her and tried to contain her tears. She missed her friend terribly. The Tower just wasn't the same without Raven. She hadn't been to the mall of shopping in weeks and hadn't felt like doing anything fun in all that time. The world seemed to be mourning for the loss of their friend; it was bleak and sad in the Tower without her. Cyborg and Beast Boy still went through the motions of their daily routine, but more often then not their morning arguments ended almost as soon as they had started, and even the video game playing was taking a back seat to training, boosting Tower defenses, and increasing their weapons arsenal. Everything was a little harder without their dark angel watching over them, guarding their backs and keeping them safe. She turned at Cyborg's call, taking her place at the start of the obstacle course, ready to make her way through it, ready to work, practicing for the moment Raven returned and the Titans became a team again.

_

* * *

_

Beast Boy watched Robin silently while he poured over his research on the latest criminal, a madman who seemed to have the ability to walk through solid objects at will, making it very difficult to catch him. He found that since Raven had left, silence tended to permeate the Tower more often then not, as if the laughter had been sucked from it, which was ironic considering how rarely Raven ever laughed. Beast Boy found little to be amused about, and that joking didn't have the same appeal. It was always easier to be a clown with Raven, as he knew she'd always have his back, knew that she would be there to support him and the Titans in all they did. But now she was gone. They didn't know when she would return and he tried to be serious for the sake of the Titan's, to be someone she would be proud of when she returned, to be the kind of person that she would want to have beside her in a fight, someone she could depend on, so that she knew, when she came back, and he wouldn't let himself believe she wasn't coming back, that he would be there for her, that he would help her and protect her as she had done for him so many times before. To show her that he was someone she could trust, someone she could depend on, someone she could love like a brother, for he knew there was only one person she would ever love as more, and he watched him type furiously on the mainframe, searching for something to keep his mind off his beloved dark bird who was trapped in the gilded cage of her mind and unable to fly.

Beast Boy let out a deep sigh before walking over to his leader, noting the messy hair, and slightly wrinkled uniform, the small signs that showed his friend was not handling this separation well, and placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping his furious typing and causing Robin to look up at him.

"Go see her." It was a simple statement, but held such meaning that Robin stared in silence for a minute before shaking his head and turning back to the computer.

"They don't need us. They told us that when we took her up there." Robin's tone was flat, as was his expression, but the tension in his shoulder's betrayed his anger at the idea of Raven not needing him and his fear.

"They may not need us, but she does. Raven needs us, she just doesn't remember it. She needs someone brave enough to go through hell for her, she needs someone who will beat all odds and bring her back." He paused for a second, staring down at the dark head of his leader who refused to meet his eyes. "She needs the man that she loves, the one who loves her enough to face the Devil himself to bring her back to life. She needs you."

Robin jerked his head up in surprise, noting the sad smile on Beast Boy's face, the one that showed him how much the changeling actually saw, and how much this experience had forced him to grow. It was shocking. Robin had been aware of the changes in the Tower but only on a peripheral level, his anger and grief at losing Raven not allowing him to see what was happening with his friends. They were all growing up, and so very quickly, and Raven wasn't here with them to share it.

Robin sighed, grasping the hand on his shoulder to show Beast Boy his appreciation for his support. "I don't know what to do Gar." The use of his first name surprised Beast Boy, but he understood that this wasn't his leader talking to him, this was his friend, this was the man behind the mask of Robin who was trying desperately to believe that the woman he loved would come back to him and not knowing what to do to help.

"I think you should take her some things from her room. Bring her some of her stuff that will help it feel a little more like home. Perhaps some books, or pictures. Like the Book of Azarath maybe, or her mirror that leads to Nevermore. It couldn't help to remind her of her birthplace, and perhaps some things to remind her of us. To let her know that she's loved and wanted here, regardless of what she remembers." He met Robin's gaze squarely, noting the slightly astonished look on his friend's face. "They may think they know everything, after all they're the Justice League" this statement was loaded with sarcasm, "but we know our friend. Raven needs things to remind her of where she came from, and I think the best way to do that is to give her the things she's always used, the things she's brought from her home planet, the things that in her mind help her define who she is."

Robin stared at his green friend for a few moments, stunned at the new maturity evident in his friend. _Oh Raven, if you could only see what this had done to him, you'd be so proud of how he's grown and matured. He needs his sister back, he needs you, just as much as I do, I just didn't see it before now._ He stood up, and gripped the changeling's shoulder in a friendly squeeze, a slight smile on his face. "When did you get so wise Gar?"

Beast Boy grinned self-consciously and shrugged. "I learned from the best, and tried to emulate what she would do." Robin smiled at him a little bigger before patting his shoulder and moving towards the door. He stopped before he passed through the doors, and turned to look at the man standing in the living room of the Tower, for he was no longer a boy, and marveled at the changes brought on by the loss of a friend. "She would be proud of you, you know that right?" His voice was quiet, but confidant, he knew that he was right in what he was saying.

Beast Boy looked at him for a moment before nodding his head, and smiling slightly, a bare upturing of the lips, reminiscent of Raven's slight smile. "I know. I plan on getting her to admit it when she comes back." The absolute confidence in his statement warmed Robin's heart. He looked at him a moment longer before nodding and turning on his heel preparing to exit.

"Hey Rob?" Garfield's voice stopped him from exiting again, and he turned back to face the matured face of his friend. "What do you think about Changeling for a name? I kinda think I need a new one cause Beast Boy doesn't really fit anymore, you know?" The uncertainty in his voice caused Robin to smile at him, a reassuring smile; the proud smile of an older brother.

"I think it's great. It suits you. And you're right, you're certainly not a boy anymore, none of us are. What do you think about Nightwing? I think I've outgrown Robin and I thought it would fit." Beast Boy looked at him for a long moment, before his lips quirked slightly upward.

"I think it's a great name, and a fitting tribute. I think she'll like it." Robin's smile widened before spun and headed out the doors, letting them close behind him.

_

* * *

_

Standing in Raven's room, Robin gazed around at the dark interior and he found himself desperately missing his Raven. Like the woman who owned it, is was mysterious and dark, but soft and comforting. He let his fingers dance across the titles on her bookshelf, picking up her little trinkets and memento's. He came finally to her bed, and pictured her sitting there meditating, or perhaps curled up with a good book, and felt his stomach clench. _No, I won't do this to myself. She'll come back, she will. _He sat down on her bed, feeling the softness of her comforter, noting the satin sheets. His Raven liked to pamper herself when she had the chance. He got up and wandered into the bathroom, noting the many lotions and creams there. He picked up her shampoo, missing the unique smell of her hair. He ran his fingers along her silver-handled brush, imagining her running it through her silken, violet hair. Robin shook his head, unable to take the images without her near. He walked back to the bookcase, picking up the heavy tome of the Book of Azarath. On the table next to her bed he noticed the silver-handled mirror and picked it up, noticing the silver sheen of the glass. _Robin….Richard….help me._

He whipped his head around, certain that Raven had entered the room, or was calling him. He saw nothing. Looking back down at the mirror in his hand, he saw his reflection, but behind it seemed to be the picture of another, his Raven and he felt his throat close at her smile. _I'll get you back Raven, I will._ He spun on his heel and headed for the door, one destination in mind, the Watchtower and Raven.

_

* * *

_

Batman watched the play of emotion on Robin's face as he observed his teammate battling against an Amazon Princess. To say he was shocked was an understatement. Raven moved with a fluidity that spoke of long hours of practice and innate ability. She ducked and weaved around the Amazon beauty with grace, her violet braid whipping around with her movements. She wore shorts and a tank top, which clung to her back, betraying the sweat soaked skin underneath that spoke of effort she was putting into holding off Wonder Woman. Finally, Diana caught got in a kick that sent her flying into the wall, before she slumped to the ground, panting from her exertions. Robin grasped the windowsill, barely stopping himself from going down and making sure Raven was okay.

"She's fine. Diana isn't using her full strength. She's training the girl, not trying to kill her. She's done much better than I thought she would. She's obviously taken your training to heart, and she certainly has some abilities of her own, she's quick and agile, has good balance and can adapt to many situations. You should be proud. She's been an excellent student." Robin looked at Batman from the corner of his eye, idly trying to determine if this was the most Batman had ever spoken, and why he was being so gracious with his praise. Batman moved to stand beside the Boy Wonder, never moving his gaze from window over-looking the practice room where Diana and Raven were now speaking, Diana showing Raven a move to block the kick which she had used to throw her into a wall.

"She's hardly a girl Bruce." His voice was quiet and showed none of his inner emotions, but his clenched fists still spoke of his desire to go down to her and make sure for himself that she was fine. He watched as Diana finished demonstrating the move, and Raven practiced it before nodding her understanding to the taller woman, smiling slightly as she took the towel offered to her, rubbing it over her face and neck, wiping away the sweat of a long workout. Diana threw her arm around the petite woman, saying something that made her laugh as they made their way to the showers.

Robin finally turned to face his mentor, noting the casual position he stood in, he shoulder leaning against the window frame, arms crossed over his chest. Robin gazed impassively at the Dark Knight, waiting for any further comments he may make. However Batman didn't seem inclined to speak further, simply returning Robin's gaze passively.

Finally, unable to take the silence any longer, Robin gestured towards the training room below. "So you're training her? With Wonder Woman? I hear you've been spending quite a bit of time with Diana lately, anything I should know?" He tried to contain the emotion in his voice, trying not to give away how desperate he was for news on Raven.

Batman recognized the question for what it was, and smirked at his adopted son. "I have been, I won't deny it. However, I have information that you were spending quite a bit of time with Raven before the accident, even after the accident. Anything you want to tell me?" He watched as Robin tried to conceal his surprise that Batman knew about that. Of course the Bat knew everything, so this shouldn't really surprise him.

Batman watched the play of emotion on Robin's face before his own softened and he moved forward to place his hand on Robin's arm. "It's alright Robin. Sometimes these things just happen. As I've recently discovered." Batman's wry tone caused Robin to smile slightly, relieved that the Dark Knight was finally allowing himself to feel for someone again.

"You always said it was a weakness Bruce, but Raven has made me stronger, not weaker because of my feelings for her. She is an essential part of our team and we need her back. How has she been doing?" Robin forced all emotion from his voice, assuming a business-like tone. "I brought her some things that could help with the recovery of her memories." He held out the bag that contained the Book of Azarath and her mirror.

"She's been fine. J'onn has been working with her but he says there is something within her mind that is blocking her from retrieving her memories. He's confused as to what it could be, but he's working on a solution. Diana and I have been training her physically, and she's been doing very well. I think you'll be impressed when you see how far she's come." Batman was trying to be positive, trying to help ease the fear he could sense in the younger man, wanting to help his protégé through this hard time, worried about the tenseness prevalent in the hard set of his shoulders and rigid posture. "Come with me, they should be in the commissary now, and you can speak to her yourself." Robin nodded shortly and followed his mentor, trying to swallow the knot that seemed lodge in his throat at the idea of seeing Raven again.

_

* * *

_

Raven smiled slightly at the antics of Flash and Speedy as they sat with her eating lunch. Diana had wandered off to speak to Superman leaving the Titan by herself, but she had soon been joined by Flash and the visiting Speedy, who had come aboard with Green Arrow. She had apparently known Speedy previously, but had no memories of him. He reminded her of someone, but she couldn't quite place who. They regaled her with tales of things they had done together, and pranks they had pulled on other members of the League and the Titans East. Raven had no conscious recollection of the Titans East but she got glimpses in her mind of people in costumes, a woman in a bumblebee outfit, a man with dark hair and blue clothes who seemed to have an affinity for water and two children who moved very quickly. She commented rarely on what they were saying, her mind more on the training session with Diana that morning rather than the stories the two were telling. She smiled where it seemed appropriate and wished there was some way she could get out of this gracefully. She found herself to be quite lonely since she had come to the Watchtower, missing her friends. _That's silly, you don't even remember them. How can you miss them?_ Regardless, she felt their absence most keenly, missing the steady presence of Cyborg, and the cheerful voice of Starfire; Beast Boy's crazy antics and Robin's smile. _Wait, Beast Boy avoided me while I was there, and Robin's smile? Where did that come from? _Silence engulfed the table and she realized that Speedy and Flash had stopped talking, were in fact looking at someone standing at the table. Raven felt a familiar presence wash over her before she looked up and saw Robin standing there, an inscrutable look on his face. She felt his presence wash over her, comforting and strong. She straightened in her chair, her eyes looking with his mask.

"Robin, I…what are you doing here?" She felt guilty for some unexplained reason as if she had been doing something wrong. _That's silly, what could I have been doing wrong? I was just having lunch with some friends. There's nothing wrong with that. _But still, she couldn't shake the feeling and it was superimposed over an outside feeling of anger and something else, something like fear, or panic.

Robin said nothing for a moment, simply gazing down at her with an unreadable look, before holding out the bag to her. "I brought you some things, I thought maybe they'd help you with your memories." He paused, and she couldn't tell what he was thinking and she missed the feeling, as if something had shut down between them and she was at a loss as to what it could be. "I also wanted to see how you were doing, but it's obvious that you're doing fine, so I'll let the others know. See you around Raven." He stood staring at her for a second more before nodding at Speedy and Flash before turning and heading towards the door.

Raven stood abruptly, grasping the bag he had handed to her, wanting him to stay, but unable to say why or how to ask him for…..for what she wasn't exactly sure. "Robin." He stopped before the door and turned to look at her, no expression on his face as he waited, his hands flexing at his side as if he was trying to restrain himself.

"Yes Raven?" She stared at him, unable to form a coherent thought, her mind whirling, trying to find something to say.

"Thanks. For… for bringing these things for me. I appreciate it." The words were soft and he regarded her for a long moment before smiling slightly and nodding his head. He spun on his heel and exited the commissary, leaving Raven standing there, feeling like she had lost something but unable to name what it was.

_

* * *

_

Robin stormed through the Tower, muttering under his breath. "Speedy of all people! What was he doing there? He's not supposed to be on the Watchtower, flirting with Raven! How dare he? He has his own Titans, what's he doing with Raven?" The logical part of his mind reminded that they were simply having lunch, and that Raven didn't remember Speedy anymore than she did himself, but that didn't stop the jealously running through his veins, making him clench his fists and grind his teeth. He stomped through the doors into the kitchen, slamming cupboards as he searched for the coffee, for something to take his anger out on, not noticing Cyborg sitting at the counter, his lunch laid out before him.

Cyborg noticed the mutterings and angry set of his shoulders and wondered what had set him off.

"Yo, Rob, what's wrong? Did something happen to Raven? Did you two argue?" Robin whipped around at the voice, surprise making him drop the coffee canister on the tiles, causing the grounds to spill across the floor.

"Cyborg, I…you…what?" Robin stuttered in a very uncharacteristic manner, completely caught off guard by the cybernetic man sitting at the counter.

Cyborg held back a chuckle, trying not to laugh outright at the shocked look on the Boy Wonder's face. "Raven, I asked if she was alright. What's wrong with you?" Robin shook his head as he remembered Speedy sitting so closely to his Raven, flirting with her. His only consolation being that Raven hadn't seemed to notice.

"She's fine. I dropped off a couple things for her, and talked to Batman about her training. He says she's doing really well, but doesn't yet remember anything." He felt his shoulder's slump at the idea of her still not remembering him and sat down heavily beside Cyborg, his hands resting on the counter in front of him. "She looked well, Wonder Woman and Batman are training her physically and the Martian Manhunter is working with her on her memories." He didn't add that she looked gorgeous, her body toned in a way it hadn't been previously, the muscles in her arms more defined, a new grace to the way she moved, and her legs…he drifted off, remembering the way her hair had fallen around her face while she talked to Diana, having come loose from the braid during her workout. He thank his lucky stars for his excellent memory, filing away the flushed tone to her cheeks as she wiped the towel down her neck and over her chest…he blushed slightly as his mind started to focus on other parts of her body, before Cyborg's cough brought him back to the present. He stared at the man beside him, noting a new maturity to his face, and the smile that didn't seem to be as easy as it once was. He waited for Cyborg to make a comment, not wanting to bring up what he had seen in the commissary, not wanting to admit to Cyborg about his fears that he would lose Raven to another man now that she didn't remember him.

"Well? What else happened? Did you two fight? Why were you so upset?" Robin internally groaned, of course Cyborg would want to know.

"No, we didn't fight. In fact I barely got to talk to her…she was….well, she was training with Diana when I got there, and I had to speak to Batman. So I met up with her in the commissary, where she was having lunch with the Flash….and Speedy." He said the last name with a bit of a bite, causing Cyborg's smile to widen.

"Speedy? As in the one from Titan's East?" He watched Robin's slow nod and the way his hands clenched into fists and felt a small touch of glee. This was the most emotion Robin had shown since Raven had left the Titans and he was glad that something was finally make him feel again, even if it was jealously. "Jealous Rob?"

Robin's head shot up and he locked gazes with Cyborg, the hard set of his jaw showing his ire at being teased. "Of course not. Why should I be jealous? It's just Speedy right? And it's not like she remembers him." The uncertainty in his voice, obvious despite his attempts to hide it cause Cyborg to place a hand on his shoulder.

"Rob, if she was going to remember any man, it wouldn't be Speedy. It would be you. You have to know that. She was probably just being polite, after all, she doesn't remember anything right? You said so yourself. She was probably just having lunch with him because he sat with her. She wouldn't be rude to him. There's nothing to worry about Rob. You're overreacting." Robin stared at him, angry for a moment before realizing that he was right. He slumped against the counter, his head in his hands.

"You're right, and I know that, but it just doesn't help. Why can't she remember me? Why can't she remember us? I miss her Cyborg, so much. I miss her calm presence, her ability to set me straight with just a look, and even her cynical comments. She's become such an essential part of our lives and now she's gone…and to know that she's healthy and safe and just can't remember us, is…it's….it's……disheartening, confusing, frustrating" he paused in his litany, his thumbnail picking at the countertop, "heartbreaking." He finally concluded, not looking up from his hand.

Cyborg smiled sadly at his leader, his friend. It was plain to all of them that the Boy Wonder was taking this hard. Obvious that he missed the violet-haired beauty of the Tower. They all did. She was just a central part of their lives, and they weren't functioning properly without her. They couldn't even mourn her and move on, they were left hanging in an abyss of hope and doubt.

Cyborg opened his mouth to say something when the alarms sounded, red lights flashing, siren blaring. Robin jumped from his stool to race to the computer, pushing buttons rapidly to bring up the problem in the city. He startled Cyborg by suddenly slamming his hand down on the console, body tensed in rage, teeth grinding. Starfire and Beast Boy raced in just as Robin managed to grind out between his teeth, the rage apparent in his voice as he spit out one word.

"Slade."

_

* * *

_

Raven sat on the bed in the room she had been given in the Watchtower, the stark walls and sterile atmosphere not noticed by the half-demon currently its occupant. She instead stared down at the book in her lap, fingers tracing over the designs on its cover, something niggling at her memory, something fighting to come free but being repressed somehow.

"The Book of Azarath. Why is this so familiar? Robin said it was mine? What is Azarath?" A memory flashed through her mind, of a destroyed planet and lady in white. _Mother._ Raven started to tremble.

"Mother? My mother? Is Azarath a place? A person? What is this?" She flipped through the pages, certain pictures jumping out at her, certain words tickling her mind, but nothing that she could remember. In frustration she set the book beside her before picking up the mirror Robin had brought.

"A mirror? What is this supposed to do?" She turned it over, staring at her reflection in the silver surface, a memory at the front of her mind, but she couldn't seem to see it. As she stared into the mirror, transfixed by her own gaze, she saw a flash of pink and purple, before she had the sensation of falling, and was sucked into the mirror. The room was empty as the mirror came to rest softly on the bed, no trace of Raven to be seen.

_

* * *

_


	8. And the Light Shines Again

I hope you all enjoy this, it's slightly different than my previous chapters, mainly due to my state of mind, but anyway, hope you like it. Just one more chapter to go! YAY!

This is dedicated to my loyal readers who have stayed with me this long. The next chapter will NOT take me 5 months, I promise!!

* * *

**_And the Light Shines Again..._**

* * *

Jump City was basking in a beautiful summer day. The sun was shining, and there was little humidity in the air, making it a perfect day to be at the waterfront, to be basking in the rays of the sun, and to play in the surf. There were sailboats bobbing on the water, jet-skis zipping around, spraying water high into the air. Yes, all in all it was a beautiful day. If one could ignore the loud sounds coming from the warehouse district. The distinct sounds of a fight, another villain on the loose, and the resident heroes trying to fight him or her back. Yes, providing you could ignore the sounds echoing across the Bay, the harsh sounds of glass breaking, bellowing cries of rage and the explosion of Starbolts it was a great day to be sailing…somewhere else.

The fight was not going well. Not only was Slade in attendance, but somehow he had managed to get Cinderblock out of jail, and together with the Sladebots, they were wreaking havoc on the city. Starfire and Cyborg fought against Cinderblock, the power within the two Titans, more than enough to keep him busy, but not quite enough to take him out; there were too many people, too many obstacles, and they were greatly restricted by the buildings surrounding them. Beast Boy and Robin fought against the seemingly endless Sladebots, Robin keeping a watchful eye for the appearance of Slade himself.

Cyborg shook his head, trying to quell the ringing in his ears as he lay in the rubble of the wall he had been thrown through. He could hear the explosions from Starfire's bolts as they pounded into the concrete giant currently making a nuisance of himself. He groaned in pain as he pushed himself up, forcing himself to rise to his feet again, and jump back into the fight. He watched for a second, as Starfire seemed to get the upper hand on Cinderblock and, with a steady stream of bright green bolts, was forcing him out towards the harbor, her war cries mixing with his cries of rage and frustration. Letting out a roar, Cinderblock smacked Starfire, who let out a cry of pain as she slammed into a building, shattering windows and splintering support beams as she crashed through cement and glass, coming out the other side, and soaring through the air to land in the water of the bay like a falling star. Cyborg shot at Cinderblock, herding him once again towards the water, where he hoped Starfire was waiting. He gritted his teeth at not knowing if she was alright, but couldn't spare the time to find her, couldn't stop fighting to help a friend now that they were short a Titan. He realized how fully they had relied upon Raven. How much they had depended on her assistance with the meta villains; unfortunately their Dark Lady was on a floating watchtower, not knowing who she was. Cyborg grimaced and fought on, sighing in relief at the sight of the red haired alien flying towards him, her eyes glowing green as she shot at the giant stone man who Cyborg had managed to herd to the Bay, the pair trying to end the battle quickly, anxious to assist their friends and put an end to Slade.

* * *

Raven stared in stunned disbelief at where she found herself. The world she stood in seemed bleak, and desolate, the colours were muted, and chunks of rock were seen floating in the void. The sky was black with red suns blazing, stars fading and everything shaded with a dim gloom that seemed to muffle all sound around her. She watched as black ravens with fierce red eyes flew in random paths, the calls raising the hair on the back of her neck. 

She stared in stupefaction for a moment, before looking down at herself, making sure that nothing had changed on her, sighing with relief that she was still dressed in her normal clothes, the jeans and t-shirt feeling foreign in this place of darkness.

"Where in the seven hells am I?" Raven spoke the question aloud, her voice muffled by the gloom, the ravens stilling for a second before returning the call. Raven was surprised that she was not afraid of where she was; apprehensive about being in a weird dimension yes, but not actually afraid of it. It was not a hostile environment; however it was not what one would call welcoming either. It seemed to be waiting for something, but what she could not fathom.

The craggy rock she was floating on drifted towards a bigger formation, one that seemed to be stationary in the chaos she was surrounded by. It had a large arch made of stone, and she could see what seemed to be a light through it. Deciding that floating on a rock probably wouldn't get her anywhere, when she got within range of the stationary rock, she jumped and winced as she rolled to break her fall across the ground, the loose rocks biting into her skin even through her clothes. She pushed herself to her feet, brushing off her jeans, and checking to make sure nothing had been damaged. Moving steadily towards the arch, she forced her senses out as Diana and Batman had taught her, moving as quietly as possible in her sneakers. She searched the darkness around her, her eyes constantly moving, keeping watch for anyone or any_thing_ that may be ready to attack. She noticed that her breathing was uneven, and consciously forced it into deep even breaths, her heart calming somewhat from where it had been thumping madly in her chest, as the adrenalin pumped through her, preparing her for any and all possibilities.

Raven continued walking, her muscles relaxed and easy, seemingly not bothered by the emptiness surrounding her, but on constant alert. She was nearing some mountains, their tops lost in the darkness. They were craggy and gray, a smudge of smoke on the blackness that surrounded her. What amazed her was the fact that they just seemed to come out of nowhere, between one step and the next she suddenly noticed these looming mountains, and that the light seemed to be coming from the base of them, or what she perceived to be the base of them. The flat path she was walking on started to slope gently upwards, hills rising on either side of her, the craggy rocks cracked and tumbling even as she watched. The path she was on was cracking as well, the grey stone seeming to have been hit by an earthquake, large cracks zigzagging all over the ground, and she moved carefully over them, making sure to not kick any loose pebbles or trip accidentally. _I'll have to thank Diana and Batman for those lessons in stealth. I never guessed they would come in handy so quickly. _She wryly thought to herself, a slight tug at her mind almost wishing the Dark Knight and Princess were with her now, but she quickly shrugged it off, knowing that they would be no help in this instance.

Raven topped a small rise, keeping low to the ground, and crawling on her stomach the last few feet, lest she be seen. She could see the light more clearly now, over the rise, it was a steady glow, almost luminescent, a soft glow like a dozen lamps. Lying still, she waited to see if she could hear anything, and when she only caught a distant murmuring of voices, she cautiously peered over the crest of the hill. In front of her, a valley of stone was nestled, surrounded by craggy hills that shifted into the larger mountains she had seen from afar, their size intimidating so close. The light didn't seem to be coming from anywhere, it simply was. It lit the area with a warm glow, almost welcoming to the wary Titan. There were people in the valley; a couple were talking, their hunter green and yellow cloaks oddly blending, while another in grey huddled slightly behind the figure in green, timidly looking around her, looking frightened and sad while in the company of these others. One in orange was snoring, her head propped up by a rock, not seeming to care that the one in yellow was throwing her glares when her snoring became louder. There were two which seemed to stand out to her, one in dazzling white, her cloak reflecting the light around her, making her look like a brilliant star in the midst of the black. The second one was in pink, where she was twirling in glee, why was unknown, but she seemed to be enjoying herself. Raven couldn't stifle her grasp as she realized what it was she was seeing, finally able to process what her eyes had been telling her.

_"These are all me!! These are the figures from my meditations! _**What the Hell??"** The last part was said aloud, and she quickly slapped a hand over her mouth, laying flat on the ground again, hoping nobody had seen her. She held her breath, listening, but heard nothing. She finally lifted her head, slowly raising it to stare in wonder at the floating figure before her.

The white cloaked figure smiled warmly and held out her hand to help the empath to her feet. As she assisted Raven in standing, the Titan was preparing a dozen ways to take her down, but was startled anew when she spoke.

"Welcome Raven, we have been expecting you." Raven stared at her in disbelief and then looked down the valley, noticing the others staring at her in varying stages of emotion, the grey cloaked one looked frightened, while the pink one was giggling, and the yellow one adjusted her glasses, a slight smile on her face. "Come Raven, we will tell you what you need to know." Almost against her will, Raven followed the white figure down into the valley, watching the others in disbelief as they gathered around her.

"Who are you people?" The question was torn from her as she saw they each had her face, each in a different expression, but there was no doubt it was her, even down to the long violet hair. The white one led her to the middle of the clearing, and turning towards the Titan, smiled gently and with a sweeping gesture, silenced those around her who had begun to whisper.

"Why Raven, can't you tell? Your eyes are not deceiving you, we are you." Raven looked at her and around at all the faces again before answering very intelligently with:

"Huh?" The white one laughed at this and pink started to giggle again, while green watched with an amused condescension.

"Let us explain…"

* * *

Robin and Beastboy fought through the seemingly endless throng of robots, Robin vaguely wondering how on earth Slade managed to pay for these damn things. _There's an idea, perhaps I can find him through the funding needed for these, I could track the sales and… _His line of thought was shut down as two slade-bots rushed him; he jumped straight up, lashing out with a snap kick and a hard slash of his staff. The bots fell, their circuits sizzling at the force behind the hits, and Robin quickly threw a few electricity balls at the coming bots; they sizzled as their circuits fried, touch transferring the electricity to the bots pressing in behind them. There was a brief pause as they regrouped, trying to find a path to the heroes over the bodies of their fallen brethren. Beast Boy landed beside his friend, panting lightly from his exertion in crushing the bots as fast as he could. 

The green changeling watched the bots for a second, noting them splitting and coming up either side, taking deep breaths to steady his nerves as he mentally ran through various animals that could help. The electricity idea of Robin's could be useful, if he could be something like the electric eel…the thoughts tumbled around in his head as he glanced at the Boy Wonder noticing the tense set of his shoulders and the teeth locked in anger. _What I wouldn't give to have Raven here right now. She could crush these things in a few minutes..._ Beast Boy laid a hand on Robin's shoulder, squeezing lightly, and grinned at him, a smug, kick ass kind of grin, that spoke of courage and the absolute faith that they would prevail.

"Let's kick some butt eh Rob? These bots won't know what hit 'em." He gave the shoulder under his hand a final squeeze before yelling a war cry and hurling himself at the coming bots, changing in mid-air to crush them under his dinosaur form. Robin grinned himself, and with a war-cry of his own, joined in the fray. _These bots don't stand a chance!_

The duo threw themselves into the fight with renewed vigor, their hits precise and deadly to the robots surrounding them. The surrounding people watched in awe, as the Boy Wonder whirled in a blur of green, yellow and red, deadly silent after his initial war cry, his movements taking him through the throng of the robots, seemingly giving him little resistance as they sparked from his well placed blows, a number of them simply collapsing from the deadly hits he aimed at their heads and legs. He was a perfect fighting machine, trained by the Bat and deadly in his anger towards Slade. His skills were honed to a precision that was almost god-like, his devotion to his friends lending him unnatural strength and agility as his flipped and spun through the robots surrounding them. They fell like mown wheat, unable to keep up with the fury that was the leader of the Titans.

Beast Boy spun in a circle, his wide tail sweeping and crushing those robots unfortunate enough to be caught in its way, a loud roar sounding out as he swept a clear path through the robots, his anger and fear for his friends traveling through the crowd in a deep rumbling that rattled their bones and sent shivers down their spines. The green T-Rex crashed through the robots, using both his tail and huge legs to destroy the mechanical creations that were destroying the city he called home and harming those he considered family. His anger towards what had happened to the dark bird of the family came out in the vicious way he ripped the robots apart, his T-Rex form slipping into that of the Man-Beast, his massive claws easily tearing into the metal, like a bulldozer through a spiderweb. He felt a vindication at ripping these machines apart, some of his anger and despair finally finding a suitable outlet. Destroying these robots gave him a clear purpose, and his doubts about his abilities were assuaged as he ripped through the pathetic metal causing havoc in the Titan's city. He made is way back to the street-light coloured blur currently destroying robots as frantically as he was, their carnage piling up behind them, a testament to their abilities and devotion. The Titans finally came together, working together seamlessly, and finally defeating the last of the robots, the final one being crushed between a bo staff and a sharp claw ripping it's head off. Beast Boy reverted to his human form, breathing deeply and a triumphant smile on his face. Robin continued to scan the area around them, a dark sense of foreboding working its way up his spine. He finally noticed a dark shape standing at the entrance to a dockside warehouse, his face covered in a mask of black and brown, one red eye glowing softly in the gloom. Robin tensed as he locked his gaze on the form of Slade, his lips pulling back in an unconscious snarl. Beast Boy followed his gaze, tensing as well, mentally preparing himself to aid in the final destruction of the masked man that had tormented them for so long, that had stolen his love away from him, when a large crash caught his attention, his head whipping around to stare at the forms of Starfire and Cinderblock at the edge of the bay, bursts of blue light showing that Cyborg was also still in the fight.

"Go. Go and help Cy and Star. I'll take care of Slade." Robin's voice was cold and unemotional, betraying none of the emotions boiling inside of him, tensing up his muscles and causing his teeth to grit. Beast Boy hesitated, loathe to leave the Boy Wonder by himself, but the continuing sounds from the Bay convinced him, knowing that Robin had to do this, had to exorcise this demon once and for all.

"Alright. Be Safe." That was it, and suddenly his was winging himself through the air, his pterodactyl form closing the distance in short order, and he slammed himself into the large form at the edge of the bay, his form changing into an elephant at the last moment, the velocity of his fall giving him an edge in hurling the stone man into the bay itself. Beast Boy landed safely beside Cyborg, his grin wide and his eyes sparkling, a matching grin making its way onto Cyborg's face as well. "BOOYAH!!" The pair yelled out in unison and threw themselves at the stone giant, Starfire's bolts lighting the way.

* * *

Raven stared at the white clad copy in front of her, waiting, somewhat impatiently, for her to explain what it was that was going on, her face carefully blank, but inside she was excited to finally be getting the answers she had sought, about herself, about her place in this world, and about what had happened to her. She wondered why she was not more concerned about her whereabouts, why she believed this person that said that all these people were in fact Raven herself. She had yet to answer that question, but intuitively she knew it was true. These people were her, they were the inner parts of her she realized. Looking around the group she finally realized it was that her observations had been telling her. These were all emotions. The different colours of cloaks represented different aspects of her personality. _I must be in my mind! But how? The Mirror! It must be magical. This must be my mind…_ Her introspection was interrupted by the yellow one clearing her throat. Raven looked at her quickly, noting intelligence in her eyes behind the round glasses. 

"You must be Knowledge, or Intelligence?" Raven stated this with certainly, before turning towards the green one. "You're courage? And You must be Happy." This statement was met with delighted giggles from the pink one. She turned in a circle naming off each of them correctly before turning to the white one. "What are you?" Her blunt question was met with a gentle smile, that seemed to warm her face and suffuse it with a beautiful glow.

"I am hope, I am forgiveness, I am devotion and peace. I am love." At this statement Raven took an involuntary step back, almost feeling the power that seemed to emanate from the beautiful creature before her. "I am the newest of your emotions, created the day you sent your father back to the hell he was spawned from. I was set free when rage was captured and subdued, bent to your will. She can no longer control you, for I am more powerful than she is." Raven stared at her in dumbfounded silence before her innate sarcasm kicked in, at which point she simply raised her eyebrow and cocked her hip to one side, adopting the stance of Wonder Woman, as she had noticed how well it seemed to always work for Diana when she was dealing with a particularly annoying person.

"That's all well and good, but what on earth is going on here?" Raven's voice was steeped in a sarcastic overtone, which didn't quite cover her anxiety. Knowledge spoke up, knowing that time was running out, that the Titans were in trouble, sending a look at Love which shut her up for the moment.

"You are a half-demon Raven. Your father was a demon, your mother was a human. Along with this birth-right came powers, powers of the demon, and powers of empathy from your human mother. You joined the Teen Titans and sought to fight evil. You were in a battle and were shot by a bank robber. Something from that accident caused you to lose your memory. We have brought you here to bring you back. We have finally found the cause and have discovered a way to fix the problem. But you must trust us. You must trust _yourself._ You must be willing to go back to your friends, to be willing to become a superhero once again, to put your life at risk for those you love. You must believe in Raven again, or this will not work." Knowledge's words were factual and caused a stirring deep within Raven. She yearned to be complete again, but took time to weigh the other facts that Knowledge had given her. She was a half-demon. She was the daughter of a monster, and a dangerous one if Knowledge was correct. She was a super hero. She had powers. She was everything that Robin had claimed. _Robin…_ She sighed at the memory of him, and her friends. With their memory forcing itself to the forefront of her mind, she knew that she couldn't choose to do anything but become a Titan again, to regain herself and become who she was born to be, not matter the consequences. She straightened her shoulders and looked squarely at Knowledge, no doubt lingered in her mind, and the absolute conviction that this was the right course claimed her.

"I'm ready. Do it. Bring back my memories. I'm ready to fly again." At her words Happy let out a whoop and Courage smirked. Love smiled and held out her hands to the others, making a slight gesture. They formed a circle around her, rising into the air and bringing her with them. They spun in a slow circle, picking up speed and becoming a whirl of colour. Raven watched in awe, the spinning colours growing brighter and brighter, until all became an iridescent white, before they exploded in an array of colours, brighter than a supernova.

* * *

Robin quickly glanced towards his friends, making sure that everything was alright before moving towards the warehouse, noticing the Slade was now gone. Knowing how the masked monster worked, he slid into the warehouse his senses on overload and he tried to locate Slade in the gloom. 

"Where's your dark bird Robin? I've noticed she no longer flies with you, and if she does, she wreaks more havoc then the criminals. Finally lost her to the dark side? Perhaps I should recruit her; she would make a very adept apprentice…not to mention a very beautiful addition to my army." Slade's cold words hissed at Robin from the darkness, making the him spin, searching for the steel mask that hid the face of his nemesis, the words causing a red curtain to pass over his vision, tightening his chest as anger coursed through his veins.

"Don't. Touch. Her." The Boy Wonder's words were clipped, their tone hot beneath the control he was trying to exert, knowing that losing control would let Slade win. And he was determined that Slade would not get away again, not after what had happened the last time they had met. Not after he had almost sacrificed Raven to her father. The rage from that incident rose once again in him at being so close to the person who had done it in the first place. He tamped it down, trying to keep control as he searched with his sense for his prey.

Slade's laughter echoed around the warehouse, seemingly coming from everywhere at once. Robin held perfectly still, straining his senses to find him, to end the fight that was very quickly becoming a drawn-out battle, the type Slade always seemed to win.

A sudden flash to his left spun him around, and he raised his bo staff just in time to meet  
Slade's staff with a sharp crack. Robin could feel the amusement and contempt rolling off the slightly taller man, noticing in a detached way that they were almost the same height finally. _Interesting, I had a growth spurt and barely noticed…no wonder the uniforms are a little tight. I wonder if Raven will like it…_ Slade leaned towards him, putting pressure against the staffs, causing Robin to brace himself, lest he be pushed back, drove any thought but defeating the enemy from his mind.

They fought as they had always fought, with skill, precision and an inhuman endurance. Each kick, each hit and blow was blocked, neither giving ground, simply moving with the fight, ranging all over the warehouse, leaping over the stock that was being stored there, neither noticing the silence outside the ware house as the other Titans finally took down Cinderbock, and assisted the police in removing him. They never took their eyes off the other, knowing by instincts honed in years of training where to jump, how to land, how to stay balanced in the fight for their lives.

Slade took up his commentary once again, knowing just how to push Robin's buttons to get the reaction her desired. "Silly little bird, you have no claim to her. Even now she does not fight by your side, does not reside in that pitiful little tower. She stays with the Justice League, and has no memory of you. How convenient. How easily she will be seduced, she has nothing holding her back from the dark side now, she has nothing to keep her from embracing her dark heritage." The words had the intended effect, bringing up the rage and the very real fear of losing Raven, causing Robin to lash out, his control waning a little at the implication that she might be lost forever, he lashed out quickly, trying to catch Slade off-guard, and instead left himself vulnerable to a shot to his side, knocking him over at the unexpected hit as Slade pressed his advantage with hard hits to his sides and back. Finally Robin jumped free, buying himself some time to ask the questions that were burning in his throat.

"What do you know about it? What did you do to her??" Robin's voice was harsh, and cut like a cold arctic wind, but Slade simply smiled, a cold smile to match the glaciers in Robin's tone.

"Why Robin, is that mistrust I hear in your voice? Surely you don't think I had anything to do with the robbery that stole her from you? After all, I wasn't the one wielding the gun." Slade's smile turned into a cruel smirk, making the wheels in Robin's head spin in overtime.

"You set it up. You were the one that orchestrated that robbery. That's why they were prepared for us, that's why he shot Raven!! The bullet! What did you put in the bullet??" Robin's voice rose as he deduced the real reason Raven had been hit, his rage growing to a new level, his anger make him throw caution to the wind, blindly attacking Slade, his hits being blocked, but the sheer weight behind it forcing Slade back into some crates. Robin, sensing an advantage pressed in for the attack, whirling his bo staff above his head, attempted to deliver a fast, overhand blow that would knock out Slade.

Slade had anticipated the move, and spinning with the Boy Wonder, smacked his legs out from under him, tripping the hero to the floor, where he painfully smacked his head.

Slade stood over the fallen bird, his staff pressed against Robin's throat, causing him to choke as his airflow was cut off. As the stars cleared from his vision Robin attempted to use his staff to hit Slade, only to have it knocked out of his hand, and Slade's heel dig into his arm, pinching the muscle into his bone, cause acute pain to shoot up to his shoulder.

"Nanites dear Robin. A little bullet filled with nanites to affect the Dark Bird's memory. To make her forget herself and everyone around her, to make her vulnerable to outside influences. I must admit, I never dreamed you'd send her to Justice League." His tone was steeped in loathing at the title, and he pressed his staff a little harder before driving a kick into Robin's side. "I was not pleased when I found where you had sent her, but I have another plan for her now, and with you out of the way, it shall be far to easy to seduce her to the dark side." His tone was smug, and he was obviously relishing in the obvious pain he was causing the fallen hero. He lashed out again with his foot again, driving it into his ribs, satisfied when he felt the bone crack and give under his boot. He removed his staff, only to pull a knife out of his sleeve, looking down the length of it, watching as it glinted in the dim light, before swiftly bending down over the prone bird gasping for air, and driving it to the hilt into his stomach.

"Your friends can't save you now Robin. For once and for all, I will be rid of you, and once you're out of the way, your pretty little Raven will be mine." Slade's sneer was obvious even through the mask, and as Robin lay there, his body throbbing with the pain of numerous bruises, the red of his blood staining his costume a crimson so dark it was almost black, he could feel her drawing nearer, even as the darkness seeped across his vision. A flash of white was the last thing he saw before his vision went completely black. _Raven…I love you…_

* * *

Raven's eyes were closed as she gently floated back to the ground, her emotions settling within her, the memories of a lifetime flashing before her mind. And she knew, without the smallest trace of doubt, she knew who had done this to her. Who had robbed her of this time with her friends and who had tried to take over her life. **_Slade._** The name boiled through her mind, and she felt rage coming out, tempered by love and courage. He was the one who had done this, and for the last time. It was time to make him pay for his crimes. 

Her eyes snapped open, glowing an eerie white as she felt the emotions coming through the renewed bond, _Robin's_ emotions. He was angry, desperate and distraught. He was in pain. Her desire for revenge tempered by her need to save her friends, Raven raised her arms, and in a flash of light was back in her room on the Watch Tower. Her uniform was different she noticed, she was cloaked completely in white, but did not take the time to study her new outfit. She phased through the tower, appearing abruptly in the monitor, startling the Amazon Princess who was on duty, causing her to spill her Iced Mocha.

"Diana, I need to get back to Jump immediately, they need my help." She stated this in a calm tone, betraying nothing of her turmoil and desperate need to get down to the surface. Diana for her part, didn't ask questions, simply took her to the transporter, keying in the codes for the Jump City terminal, and wishing the empath luck. She watched as the Raven disintegrated before contacting Batman to tell him the news.

Raven flew threw the air as fast as she could physically push herself feeling the growing desperation in Robin. She could barely hear the wind whistling in her ears, her mind preoccupied with reaching her friend's side as quickly as she could. Finally she landed in the warehouse district, feeling her way unerringly to where a short time earlier Robin had found his way into fight Slade. She didn't use stealth, simply walked in and quickly assessed the situation. Robin lay on the ground, a knife handle protruding from his stomach as Slade stood over him gloating. She felt her own stomach twist at the sight, her heart jumping into her throat before lodging itself firmly in her feet.

"Your friends can't save you now Robin. For once and for all, I will be rid of you, and once you're out of the way, your pretty little Raven will be mine." She could feel the triumph in Slade's words and her hands flashed up as her eyes glowed white, a barrier erecting over the bird even as Slade raised his staff to deliver another blow to the fallen Boy Wonder. The barrier held firm, and the staff was knocked from Slade's hand at the force of the hit.

Raven felt a calm replace the hot anger, her blood slowing it's crazy pulse, the anger becoming cold, implacable rage.

"Oh, I wouldn't count on that Slade. Take a good look, I'm the last thing you'll ever see." Her voice was colder than the vast emptiness of space, and she could feel the fear within the monster standing over her friend, over _Her Robin_. "Goodbye Slade."

* * *

Well that's it!! Hope you like it!! And if you don't, that's alright as well, just let me know! This ended up being 9 pages! Holy toledo!! I am apparently long winded...but you all knew that right? 

Please check out my homepage for news. The next chapter is being worked on, and hopefully won't take as long. Don't worry, Raven will get her chance to kick some booty as well!

Thanks again to all my reviewers who have stayed with me so long! I can't tell you how much I appreciate you guys!

Aurora Mikayla


	9. And the Raven Flies Again

It's true! I have FINALLY updated!! Wow, it's been over a year! To all of my faithful reviewers, thank you so much for sticking with me this long. I can't tell you how much your support means to me. I wouldn't be here if not for you, so thank you so very very much.

I can only apologize for the delay in the update, Robin was being especially stubborn about how he wanted to be written. Darn Boy Wonder!! This ended up being 11 pages long, so I hope you all like it!! I tried to keep it realistic, or as much as I possibly could. Hope you enjoy! Oh...I haven't edited it, I'll come back and do that in a few days, but I figured I should get it up ASAP.

* * *

From the last chapter: 

_"Your friends can't save you now Robin. For once and for all, I will be rid of you, and once you're out of the way, your pretty little Raven will be mine." She could feel the triumph in Slade's words and her hands flashed up as her eyes glowed white, a barrier erecting over the bird even as Slade raised his staff to deliver another blow to the fallen Boy Wonder. The barrier held firm, and the staff was knocked from Slade's hand at the force of the hit._

_Raven felt a calm replace the hot anger, her blood slowing it's crazy pulse, the anger becoming cold, implacable rage._

_"Oh, I wouldn't count on that Slade. Take a good look; I'm the last thing you'll ever see." Her voice was colder than the vast emptiness of space, and she could feel the fear within the monster standing over her friend, over __Her Robin__. "Goodbye Slade."_

* * *

**_and the Raven Flies Again_**

* * *

The final sound of Cinderblock hitting the ground seemed to echo in the sudden stillness as the Titans waited for the stone giant to rise again. When he didn't, the police came forward to secure him and return him to his prison, hopefully with better reinforcements so that perhaps the Titans could ignore him for awhile. When it had been confirmed that he was secure, the Titans ran for the warehouse, the sounds of fighting having stopped, worried for their leader at the sudden silence.

Entering the gloom, they heard voices, too far away to be distinguishable, before the fighting resumed with a large crash, followed by metal toppling over. Running towards the sounds, the three found Robin lying on the blood soaked ground, unconscious. Cyborg quickly scanned him trying to assess the damage, while Beast Boy applied pressure to one of the wounds on his leader's body, attempting to staunch the flow of blood which was pooling around the fallen Boy Wonder and Starfire stood silently, starting at the blood covered body of her friend, unsure of what best to do to aid the fallen hero, all three of them having forgotten the missing Slade at the sight of their friend.

* * *

Raven held the shield over her fallen Bird as she eyed Slade with loathing, watching for even the slightest hint of his next move. She could feel the fear spilling off of him, but it was now coupled with determination and anger, which made for a deadly combination in her books, his actions when fueled by the three could be deadly as he would be reckless in his desires. She floated closer to her leader, and rested beside him, extending the shield around herself and putting out a hand to ascertain if he was still alive, for had Slade succeeded in killing him, she would show no mercy. Luckily for Slade she found a pulse, faltering slowly, but still alive. She watched Slade closely even as she withdrew the shield and threw her power into healing the Boy Wonder, unable to maintain both in the face of the grievous injuries that Robin sported. She watched Slade carefully as he seemed to be debating with himself, ready to throw up the shield at a moment's notice. The level of magic pouring into the wounded bird quickly took him out of mortal danger, but the list of injuries was severe, and it would take Raven quite a while to heal him, even at her current level of magic use, and she doubted that Slade would allow her the time she needed to heal him. 

Her suspicions were correct, as Slade threw a knife directly at her head, forcing her to stop the flow of magic healing to erect a shield around herself again, stopping the blade a foot from her left eyes. She didn't blink as she dropped the shield and the knife clattered to the floor, inches from Robin's left arm. She felt within Robin once again, insuring that he was indeed out of danger, before she pushed herself to her feet, the deadly grace in the simple movement provoking a shift in weight from the masked villain, the equivalent of a step back from anyone else. Raven smirked at him, her gaze boring holes into his mask, as if she could see right through it, searing into his soul, causing him to question the intelligence of fighting the Titan when he had already experienced her powers first hand in the fight against her father.

He had already noted the white of her outfit, not caring about the details other than what the colour change could herald for him. He remembered, quite vividly, what had happened the last time she had been adorned in such a pure colour, and he could feel the fear starting to overpower the anger at his plan obviously having been thwarted, once again. By the growing smirk on her face, she apparently could feel it as well, which served to anger him once again, as there was nothing he loathed more than showing weakness to an enemy, and showing fear was the worst kind of weakness. He stiffened his spine and pushed the fear to the back of his mind, meeting her gaze squarely, even if she couldn't actually see his eyes, he had no doubt in his mind that she knew exactly where he was looking.

"Scared Slade? Of me? Why, your intelligence quotient just went up, I didn't realize you were smart enough to recognize when you were outclassed. Congratulations. Bravo. You should be very afraid of me Slade, we have a long list of scores to settle, now don't we?" The monotone of her voice never changed and the non-emotion in it made the hair on the back of his neck raise, realizing that she could swat him like a fly if she chose. On the last word, he watched as she flung her hands up, and he was suddenly flying through the air to crash into the wall behind him, before he slumped to the ground, the biting pain in his back causing him to wince, making him glad that the mask covered such a showing of weakness before his enemy.

Raven idly wondered if her longwinded speeches were the result of not having been able to converse with someone who would understand her sarcasm, or from her giddy emotions at being let loose to defeat the creature that had caused Robin so much suffering. She realized that it didn't really matter, but she now had a better understanding of why Robin indulged in word games with his enemies, there was a certain satisfaction to verbally digging into the person who was the root of so many of the problems for the Titans, to feel the fear grow at her chosen words, and know that it would help her take him down easier so she could return to tending to Robin.

She walked away from the injured figure on the ground, wanting to draw all fighting away from Robin in the hopes that their friends would come and assist him. She could hear the fighting outside, but it was taking Cinderblock longer to rise after each hit, and she had no doubts as to whether the other Titans would be victorious, so it was only a matter of time until they came and found Robin and got him the medical attention he needed. Her steps were slow and steady as she walked towards the fallen villain, her pace not changing as she watched him push himself to a standing position obviously using the wall to maintain his balance. Raven's mind raced as she planned her best course of action, obviously not able to kill him due to her belief in the preservation of life rather than a lack of abilities, as her power would easily allow her to crush him like the bug he was, but Raven was not a killer, and she would not become one for this cretin. She needed to take him out without killing him, and now that he was fully mortal again, her powers would kill him if she used them unchecked, and so she readied herself into a fighting position, her right left leg before her for balance, as she showed allowed Slade the smallest target possible, aligning her body as Diana and Batman had taught her, watching Slade like a hawk, prepared for his every move.

Raven was not startled as Slade forced a laugh at her obvious intention to fight him physically rather than with her powers. His mask was chipped on one side, and his clothes were cut from numerous abrasions with the unforgiving wall and floor, but forcing a brave front, he forced a sneer into his voice as he took in her posture and her obvious knowledge of hand-to-hand combat. His body ached from the fight with Robin and from his little excursion into the wall, but he was more than enough to handle this upstart if she was going to "play fair". He felt his fear dropping as he realized she wasn't going to crush him with her powers, her "hero-complex" not allowing her to kill him. That was her mistake, and that would be her downfall, particularly if he had anything to say about it.

"Well, well, seems the little bird learned how to fight. Silly Raven, you have no chance against me. If your illustrious leader," here his voice dripped disdain, causing Raven's spine to straighten even more, which Slade took note of, ready to use more insults of the Boy Wonder if it would make the empath reckless against him, as it often did the Boy Wonder, "couldn't defeat me, what makes you think you can? I am bigger, stronger and faster than you. I'm better than you my dear girl, and I will have no problems crushing you with my bare hands. It would be best for you to simply give up rather than try to fight me. Join me Raven, with you by my side we will be unstoppable, and we can rule this city." Slade used his speech to put himself on better footing, preparing to spring at Raven before she knew what was going on.

Instead of reacting to his words, Raven merely cocked her head and eyed him with disdain. "The only thing you're better at Slade, is long-winded speeches about nothing. I'm not joining you. Give it up, quit wasting your breath. You're going to need it." At this, Slade gave a war cry and raced at the heroine, hoping to catch her off guard. Instead he found himself flying through the air to crash into a cement support beam, the impact forcing the air from his body and cracking a few ribs. He was astonished that she could use so much force, but forced himself up from the floor, warily watching the Titan, noting how her hands glowed black, realizing that while she wouldn't crush him with her power, didn't mean she wouldn't use it against him regardless.

He sneered at her before pulling out a device out of his belt; he hurled it at the empath watching as she hastily erected a shield to block it. At impact with her shield, it exploded, sending her flying back into the support beam for a metal staircase which led to the scaffolding of the second floor. The support beam collapsed at the hit, sending metal raining down on her, burying her in rusted metal and debris. Slade stalked closer to the pile, wanting to make sure she was truly out of the fight before finishing off the Boy Wonder for once and for all.

He jumped back as Raven allowed her anger to vent, the metal flying off of her a burst of power, the small pieces of metal catching Slade like shrapnel, tearing into his clothing and leaving trails of blood in their wake, while a larger piece glanced off his mask, leaving a sizeable dent in it. Slade's head whipped to right, instinctively cradling the side of his face as he felt his cheekbone crack from the hit. The pain was excruciating, but he had long since grown accustomed to pain and would not falter under the glower Raven was sending him. She was untouched, her power keeping her protected from the debris, and her hands were clenched at her sides, black lighting dancing across them, a clear warning that she was quickly losing her temper and was no longer interested in "playing" with him.

Eying each other, neither giving anything away, they rushed at one another silently, Slade unable to move his mouth without causing himself more pain, and Raven not one for a battle cry. They matched each other blow for blow before Raven slipped slightly, allowing Slade to throw her over his shoulder into the middle of the warehouse again, the empath barely keeping her footing, before chuckling darkly, wanting to taunt the villain into making a mistake so she could end this without having to send him to the morgue, although that idea was starting to have a little more merit. She raised her head to look at him, and sneered at him, watching as he advanced from the shadows, noting the limp in his stride, slight as it may be, and trying to determine the best way to take him out, feeling the presence of her friends for the first time as her empathic abilities focused on the increase in auras in the area. She ignored them for now, choosing to call out a taunt to Slade who was resolutely walking towards her, apparently unaware of her friends just around the stacked boxes.

* * *

Cyborg's scans puzzled him and he ran them a second time before concluding that was he was reading was correct, that Robin's body was indeed healing itself. The wounds that showed should have been deadly, but the cuts were shallow now, all seemingly superficial, but they could not account for the amount of blood that was surrounding the fallen Boy Wonder, and he found himself wondering who had healed him, at who had the power to heal him. One name stood out strongly in his mind, but it didn't seem possible, as she was far away on the Watch Tower with the Justice League. He raised his head to make eye contact with the green changling kneeling on the other side of the fallen hero, and met frightened eyes. He knew how much the idea of losing someone else he cared for scared BeastBoy, and was not surprised to see him applying pressure to two of the deeper remaining cuts, trying to staunch the wounds. 

BeastBoy watched the bloody flow out of his leader's body and felt the fear of loss of another friend rise up in him, nearly choking him. His breath came in short gasps until his brain could process what he was seeing: the wounds were merely trickles, the steady rise and fall of Robin's chest, the warm colour to his skin. For someone who should be dead, he looked remarkably well. Raising his head to look at Cyborg, he met the cybernetic man's eyes, and noted the calm and slight puzzlement in his expression.

"What is it? He is going to be okay? What happened?" BeastBoy spit out the questions rapidly, wanting to assure himself that Robin was going to be okay, and that he was not in jeopardy of losing another friend. Cyborg shook his head and looked back at his readings.

"He's going to be fine, but I can't figure out how. The stabs wounds were not shallow, not to have this much blood around him, but now they're almost healed. He still has a few broken bones, but he's in not immediate danger. In fact a few weeks rest and he'd be healed. I can't figure out how, he should be dead." BeastBoy relaxed at the words, but then tensed again once he got passed the fact that the Boy Wonder was going to be fine.

"Healed? Do you think? Could it be…her? Do you think it's Raven?" The hope that flared to life inside of him lit him like a warm fire on a cold winter night as the possibility of her return swamped his heart. Cyborg shrugged, unable to give an answer as he didn't want to give the changling false hope, but having no other explanation to give him. He started to look around for clues, when a large crash sounded, jerking him around as he lifted his sonic cannon, ready to obliterate any who threatened them.

A resounding crash had Starfire lifting into the air, eyes and hands glowing a deadly green as she hovered over her friends, ready to protect them from whoever was still in the warehouse. A white cloaked figured was tossed into her line of vision, sliding along the ground and catching itself with one hand, covered head down as they slid to a stop. The hood face lifted, and a monotone voice issued from its depths, taunting in its lack of emotion.

"That's all you've got Slade? I expected more from you. Tsk, tsk you must be slipping." Starfire gasped as she recognized the voice, even if she was astonished by the words coming from the figure.

"Friend Raven!" Her cry echoed in the warehouse as all activity stopped with the words, Raven turning to look at her, as if just realizing she was there. Starfire started towards the recovered empath, wanting to help when Raven threw up a hand stilling her in her forward flight instantly. It was not a request, but a silent demand and Starfire obeyed it, even if she was confused as to why she was being given the order.

"Stay back Starfire, get Robin to the infirmary, quickly. I'll handle Slade, we have some things to discuss before I'm finished with him." She returned her attention to a shadowed figure, and Starfire gasped upon recognition of the creature before her. His mask was dented and cracked, chips taken out of the sides, his black outfit was slashed in many places, blood leaking from the many cuts he was sporting. Starfire was astonished by his appearance, for not since the fight with Terra had Slade looked so, and she wondered how he had come to be so injured, but then with another look at the empath she knew that her friend was responsible for the injuries, but why she had not ended the fight Starfire did not know, but she worried as to the reason behind it, hoping that her friend had indeed returned to her, and it was not simply a part of the empath that had returned.

Slade recognized his chance for escape in the presence of her friends, knowing that Raven would rush to the rescue if she thought that they were in danger. He watched her closely and waited until her guard was down before throwing his remaining grenade toward the unsuspecting redhead floating above the prone body of his lost apprentice before spinning on the balls of his feet and sprinting for the side door he had slipped in earlier. This fight was over, but at lest he had a chance for another one, considering his escape while still intact a win against the revived empath.

Raven saw the explosive heading for Starfire and sprinted for the alien, throwing a shield around the Titans before the bomb could hit. The concussive force took out a nearby pile of boxes and chunks of the roof fell to crash against the black shield, forcing Raven to grit her teeth as she slid to a stop within the shield, holding it up against the pounding debris.

By the time the dust had settled Raven was on her knees, sweat pouring down her face as she panted for breath. She released the shield, and fell forward on her hands gasping in air as she let her senses roam, knowing that Slade had escaped but wanting to verify it before letting her guard down. A final sweep of the warehouse showed no other presence and she turned quickly to the Titans, wanting to make sure that nothing had gotten through her shield and that they were all okay.

Cyborg, Starfire and BeastBoy watched her in stunned silence and awe as their friend stood on somewhat shaky legs made her way over to them. The size of the shield she had maintained astonished them, especially with what she had battled against. Cyborg noticed that her walk had changed, her easy grace had become almost predatory, a new awareness of everything around her, and what exactly she was capable of doing was now portrayed in every careful step, no energy wasted in her movements, not unlike the man who lay beneath his hand. Starfire noted the change in outfit, the dark colours gone for a shimmering, beautiful white, which set off the violet of her friend's eyes, and lustrous sheen to her long purple hair. The style was different, but it seemed to suit her, and Starfire could not contain her squeal of joy as she rushed to hug her friend after such a long time. BeastBoy noted the new openness to Raven's expression. While it was not as blatant as most people's expressions he could read the satisfaction and joy in his friend's face and felt his own heart swell with happiness that this was indeed his sister returned, that the Titan's had been reunited once again.

Raven caught Starfire's hug and returned it with equal force, happiness filling her heart as she was reunited with her family once again. Eventually however, she had to tap Starfire's back and tell her that she needed air, but she squeezed her once more to let her know how happy she was to see her. Starfire stepped back to allow the other Titans to surround Raven, her hands clasped to her chest as she tried not to yell out in happiness, and zoom around the room. Cyborg gathered her close and sniffled as he felt her arms circle him in return. His baby girl was home and the part of himself that had been empty was finally filled again, he heart whole as his little sister was finally returned to him. BeastBoy stood still, not able to move as shock kept him from advancing any closer to her. He watched as the others hugged her and told his feet to move, but was rooted to the spot until she turned to him, and said simply "Surprise" in that monotone that nobody could hope to duplicate. That was all it took, suddenly he was free to hug her, surprised that he had grown taller than her in her absence. His hug was gentle, as if he were afraid to hurt her, and he smiled as she returned the gentle pressure, the feel of her more than enough to sooth the hurt of her absence.

Raven stepped back and was almost overwhelmed by the feeling of joy that was flooding her friends. She smiled slightly and made her way over to Robin. She touched him to make sure he was okay before enveloping him in black energy, being careful to keep him still and straight, making sure not to jar him. She was unable to fully heal him now, wanting to return to the Tower to have the medical equipment if needed. The strain of the fight and venture into her mind were starting to take a toll on her body and she needed rest before she would be able to heal him. She carried him out the T-car, the others following at her back, strangely silent in the twilight. She was surprised at how long the fight had taken, how long she had been inside but was relieved at the media, police and bystanders had long since dispersed, not wanting to have to deal with them yet. Opening the back door, she gently laid Robin across the seats, making sure to secure him with the special features that Cyborg had added for just such an event. After she was finished, she gently closed the door and turned to face the others. They merely watched her, as if still disbelieving that she was really back, she smirked at this realization and gestured to the car.

"Well? Are we going to stand here all day or go home?" At her words, Cyborg jumped into action, trotting around to the driver's side door, while BeastBoy lunged for the front seat, yelling "Shotgun!" before coming to an abrupt stop. He looked back and her and offered her the front seat. She smiled softly and allowed the wind to lift her off the ground.

"Thanks, but I think I'll fly." She flew into the air with Starfire at her side, relishing in the feel of the air past her face, the feel of her cloak whipping in the wind, and the simple joy of freedom. She found Starfire watching her, the joy on her face making the pretty alien luminescent. She smiled back and her, and soared higher into the air, the Tower rising in the distance. It was good to be home.

* * *

Robin drifted through the darkness, feeling nothing, simply existing. The void was comforting in its lack of light, not demanding anything of him but that he continue to breath. He drifted for awhile, aware of nothing but the void before some feeling returned to him. It was a warm sensation, like comfort, and security, mixed with hope, and love, with a little bit of lust tossed in for fun. It was the feeling that he associated with Raven, and he drowned in the feeling of it, his soul relishing in the feel of its other half. His bond with the dark bird flared to life and he could feel her amusement clearly. Reality kicked in, and he finally forced himself to wakefulness, wanting to see her, to make sure it wasn't just a dream, to make sure she was really there. 

He found himself becoming aware of other things: the steady beep of a heart monitor, the sterile smell of the medical lab with the scent of vanilla and mystery that he always associated with Raven, the feel of stiff cotton sheets on his bare legs and torso, and finally the feel of gentle hands brushing through his hair. The fingers brushed against his forehead, smoothing back his bangs. He relished in the feeling even as he tried to open his eyes, desperate to see her, desperate for the reassurance of her safety.

He finally managed to open his eyes, but the gritty feeling forced them closed again before he felt drips being placed near his tear ducts. He blinked rapidly, the drops soothing the dry feeling. His vision was blurry and it took a few moments for him to focus. He saw first the bright light overhead, wincing as the light blinded him. He turned his head slightly and saw an angel standing beside his bed, gazing at him with a slight smile as she waited for him to gain coherence. He opened his mouth to say something, anything but it only came out as a grunt. She grabbed an ice chip and slipped it between his lips, allowing him to sooth his parched throat while memorizing the feel of her fingers against his lips. He simply gazed at her, his vision becoming more focused as time passed, realized that it was indeed his Raven, only different. For a moment he felt the fear spike in him that maybe she didn't remember, that maybe she had simply learned how to use her powers again rather than regained her identity, but the soft brush of her hand against his head spoke otherwise, and he felt a tug at their bond which answered any doubts he might have regarding her identity. His lips curved into a smile, and he watched with wonder as an answering smile graced her lips. He wanted to reach up and grab her, pull her down onto his lap and claim those lips for his own. He did neither, simply reached up to his head, and grasped her hand in his, bringing it down to his lips and placing a kiss upon her palm, basking in her presence. He felt the shiver that ran through her at his actions and his smiled turned predatory. She simply raised an eyebrow at him, and he laughed, letting all of his joy, all of his happiness, all of his love flow out into the sound, relief loosening all of his muscles, the tension which had built up for the weeks and months she had been gone flowed out of him with the sound, and he clutched her hand to him, pulling her down to sit beside him on the bed.

Raven gazed at Robin with warmth, his obvious joy in his reunion with her boosting her own feelings of euphoria. She left her hand clasped within his, and simply watched, waiting for what he would do next. She noted the changes in him, the developed muscles, the growth spurt and longer hair. She felt a keen sense of disappointment that she hadn't been there to see the changes, but rather than focus on what was lost, she allowed herself the joy of being with him once again, the missing part of her soul finally returned; for the first time in months finally feeling complete, safe and loved. His hand felt warm and smooth grasping hers which was surprising, she had expected it to be rougher, but figured that the gloves protected him from getting blisters and the like. She noted all the little details, the things she had missed in the months and months that she had been unaware of who or what she was. She was content to simply sit with him and know that they were both safe, they were both going to be okay. It was enough for now.

Robin however did not feel the same, his curiosity needing to be fulfilled. He reached for the glass of ice again, but she beat him to it, lifting another piece of ice to his lips and he let it slide between, the act sensual and promising for both of them, the feel of his lips against her fingers, the soft brush of her skin against his lips. Both shivered and their gaze became heated. Suddenly a yawn took control of the Boy Wonder and he broke his gaze with her as his jaws disobeyed his command to be still. He smiled at her in apology, but she merely shook her head. Words seemed unnecessary, but Robin had to know, had to hear her story, of how she had returned to them.

"How?" The question was simple but the answer was quite complicated. Raven made sure he was comfortable, propped up against the pillows at his back before she settled back in her seat, cradling his hand in her own. Retelling the story of how she had regained her memories and what had happened at the warehouse. When she told him of her fight with Slade he tensed, but did not interrupt her retelling. When hearing of her near success with him, he was amazed, but felt a sense of loss that he hadn't been there to help, hadn't been the one to bring Slade almost to his knees. She felt it, and squeezed his hand gently, bringing his attention back to her. When she could feel his gaze locked with her own, she tried to appease his sense of inadequacy.

"You were with me every step of the way Robin. It was you that gave me the determination to beat him, to keep fighting even knowing that he was stronger than me. It was you that kept me from simply smashing him into a wall and ending him for once and for all. A part of me wanted to, I knew I could, I could end him with a single blow, one flick of my power and he would be no more. I couldn't. Because of you, because of all the hope you've given me, because I know that you value life more than anything else, and because you wouldn't want me to beat him that way. A part of me wanted to, especially considering the condition I found you in when I arrived, I was barely able to stabilize you. I almost lost you, and the only thing that kept me from slaughtering the man who had harmed you, was your belief in me." She cut off as he sat up abruptly and grabbed her into a hug. They clung to each other and there was silence in the room save for the steady beep of the heart monitor. Eventually he pulled back slightly and simply gazed at her, brushing the hair back from her face, running fingers down her soft cheek. His gaze fastened on her lips and flicking his gaze back up to hers he leaned in slowly. Raven's eyes slipped shut as she felt his breath ghost against her lips causing goose bumps to travel up and down her arms and back. She waited with baited breath as he got closer, and closer…

Suddenly the mechanical doors swooshed open, and Robin pulled back as if burned, Raven standing up suddenly, pretending to be reaching for the glass of ice cubes. Cyborg stopped abruptly as he watched the birds try not to blush, noting how they refused to look at each other. Chuckling to himself he made his way over to the monitors, verifying that their leader had indeed recovered. He chose not to comment on what he suspected was happening, or what was about to happen, and instead moved over to where Robin now lay reclining and Raven was staring at him with a blank expression. The only hint to her discomfort was the slight tinge of red on her cheeks. He smirked at her and she raised her head defiantly, meeting his gaze squarely and daring him with just her gaze to say something. He declined, holding his hands up in supplication before turning to the Boy Wonder.

"Well all the monitors say that you're fine and healthy. You're free to go. I'll just remove the monitors, and you can get dressed. You'll probably want to shower before you get dressed though. It's been three days." Robin's jaw dropped when he realized how long he had been unconscious. He glanced at Raven as if to confirm Cyborg's statement. She nodded and he shook his head, mentally adjusting his clock to account for the lost days.

"It took a great deal to heal you, your injuries were very serious. I had to pull a lot of it from you for the healing, my powers can only do so much. Your sheer stubbornness kept you alive as much as I did. Your body needed time to recover from both the injuries and the healing." Raven's voice jerked his head back to her, and he remembered the pain he had felt before the darkness had claimed him, the final thought in his head the beautiful young woman before him. She held his gaze steadily before smiling softly.

"I'll let you get showered and dressed. I have some things to do before dinner tonight. I'll see you later Robin. I'm glad you awake." With that she grasped his shoulder and squeezed gently. Sending a stern look Cyborg's way, she spun on her heel and started for the doors.

Robin called out her name, not wanting her to be out of his presence, not yet, not when it had been so long since he had seen her. She stopped and turned back towards him, and that was when he realized that her outfit hand changed, drastically, something he hadn't noticed when she was beside him, her presence keeping him distracted from little things like clothes.

Robin took note of the changes in his fellow Bird; the full length, white dress which clung to her every curve, two long slits, almost to her hips, allowing her legs free movement. Her boots remained the same, differing only in their colour. The tight dress was set-off by her customary belt around her hips, accenting the stunning shape to her figure as the top clung to every curve, with a high neck, leaving her arms and shoulders bare. It was a stunning outfit, provocative and innocent at the same time. The purity of the colour made a man doubt what he was seeing, but the curves hidden behind the colour were the kind that if he was a racecar would make him want to hug the road. It was no more revealing than her leotard, but this outfit made his breath catch in his throat, his heart slam against his ribcage and his mouth dry. It high-lited every change she had undergone while away from him, the development and tone of new muscles and the way her body was no longer that of a teenager, but of a fully grown woman. The heart monitor which was still connected started to beep faster, and Raven smirked as she heard it. Robin's eyes roamed her figure, and she swept her cloak around herself, the frown on Robin's face at the gesture not lost to the empath.

"Robin. Robin! What did you want?" Raven's voice was monotone but held a sliver of amusement and Cyborg was pressing his hand against his mouth trying to stop himself from breaking into laughter. Robin stared blankly at her the words which had been forming lost in the glory that was Raven. He shook his head and tried to remember what he had been saying. The words were lost to him and he could only gape like a fish. He finally closed it and simply locked eyes with her. Her gaze softened and she smiled, a slight tilt to her lips that hit him straight to the heart.

"You're welcome." With another small smile she continued to the door and out of his sight.

He gazed after her until Cyborg's clearing of the throat broke into his thoughts. Turning his head he found the cybernetic man grinning with his arms crossed over his chest, laughter clear in his eyes. He found himself blushing slightly before he straightened his spine and leveled a hard look at the man before him.

"What?" His tone was flat and demanding, but Cyborg ignored it as he laughed out loud.

"Robin would you like a bucket?" Robin was puzzled by this, knowing that Cyborg was making fun of him, but his mind was still on Raven overload and unable to see where he was going with it. After the Boy Wonder stared at him blankly Cyborg laughed again and moved to turn off the monitors.

"You're drooling." With those finals words Cyborg set about removing the sensors from the steaming bird and ignored the looks he was getting, even whistling a jaunty tune sure to annoy his friend as he finished.

* * *

Well that's it!! Hope you liked it. Also, go to my page to see what's going on with Lips of an Angel, for those of you who care I mean. 

Thanks again everyone, your support has meant so much to me, especially the patience. Thank you, thank you thank you!! There's only the epilogue left to be written and it shouldn't take as long. No more fight scenes to write!! Thank goodness!

Ciao for now!! Please go and review! I want to know what you think of it!

Aurora Mikayla


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